日本高清色视频在线视频在,国产香蕉97碰碰视频碰碰看,丰满少妇av无码区,精品无码专区在线,久久无码专区免费看,四虎欧美精品永久地址99,亚洲色无码一区二区三区

您現(xiàn)在的位置: Language Tips> Audio & Video> Normal Speed News  
   
 





 
World markets, oil prices decline Thursday
[ 2008-11-21 09:10 ]

Download

World markets were mostly lower amid further evidence of economic hardship in the United States and a slowing global economy. From Washington, VOA's Michael Bowman reports.

The number of Americans looking for work continues to rise, as the U.S. Labor Department reports new claims for unemployment benefits have hit a 16-year high.

There were 542,000 unemployment claims filed last week, bringing the four-week average to just over half a million - the highest figure in more than 25 years. Any weekly number above 400,000 is considered an indication of hardship in the U.S. labor market.

"What it [the new claims number] tells us, is the job market is just getting worse and worse," said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist for PNC Financial Services. "And it is affecting more and more people in different industries and different parts of this country."

The worsening jobs situation has not gone unnoticed at the White House. Spokeswoman Dana Perino says President Bush supports congressional action to extend the duration of unemployment benefits.

"The recent financial and credit crisis has slowed our economy dramatically," she said. "It is having an impact on job creation. And because of the tight job market, the president believes it would be appropriate to further extend unemployment benefits. And he would sign legislation that is now in front of Congress."

The Bush administration wants Congress to act on a benefits extension before the upcoming holiday recess.

If there has been a bright spot for consumers in recent weeks, it is the precipitous plunge in oil prices. Oil traded below $50 a barrel, down from nearly $150 a barrel just a few months ago. With cash-strapped consumers spending less on fossil fuels, they have more disposable income to pay for other necessities.

But economists say falling energy prices are a mixed blessing, since they reflect lower demand caused to a large degree by a dramatically slowing global economy.

"We have seen the demand for oil change in a way that we have not seen since probably the oil shocks of the 1970s. Right now oil is getting pounded because the stock market looks terrible and all the economic news is bad," said energy analyst Phil Flynn.

Flynn says he would not be surprised if oil drops to the $35 a barrel range in coming weeks.

Major markets in Asia and Europe all closed lower. In Tokyo, shares plunged nearly seven percent, and in London, stocks fell more than three percent. Wednesday, New York's Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at its lowest level in five years.

No one knows just how low the market will go, according to economist Peter Cardillo of the New York-based investment group Avalon Partners.

"The market is gripped with fear, and of course the big fear is: how long will the recession last? There is just a lot of negative sentiment out there. This market has had a major decline, and somewhere along the line it will begin to stabilize," he said.

Meanwhile, a private American research firm, the Conference Board, says its index of leading economic indicators fell 0.8 percent last month. In recent months the index, seen as a reliable predictor of future economic performance, has declined at its fastest rate since 2001.

(Source: VOA 英語點津姍姍編輯)

 
英語點津版權(quán)說明:凡注明來源為“英語點津:XXX(署名)”的原創(chuàng)作品,除與中國日報網(wǎng)簽署英語點津內(nèi)容授權(quán)協(xié)議的網(wǎng)站外,其他任何網(wǎng)站或單位未經(jīng)允許不得非法盜鏈、轉(zhuǎn)載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請與010-84883631聯(lián)系;凡本網(wǎng)注明“來源:XXX(非英語點津)”的作品,均轉(zhuǎn)載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉(zhuǎn)載,請與稿件來源方聯(lián)系,如產(chǎn)生任何問題與本網(wǎng)無關(guān);本網(wǎng)所發(fā)布的歌曲、電影片段,版權(quán)歸原作者所有,僅供學(xué)習(xí)與研究,如果侵權(quán),請?zhí)峁┌鏅?quán)證明,以便盡快刪除。
相關(guān)文章 Related Story
 
 
 
本頻道最新推薦
 
Walking in the US first lady's shoes
“準(zhǔn)確無誤”如何表達
英國新晉超女蘇珊大媽改頭換面
豬流感 swine flu
你有l(wèi)ottery mentality嗎
翻吧推薦
 
論壇熱貼
 
別亂扔垃圾。怎么譯這個亂字呀?
橘子,橙子用英文怎么區(qū)分?
看Gossip Girl學(xué)英語
端午節(jié)怎么翻譯?
母親,您在天堂還好嗎?

 

<strong id="xdwva"><div id="xdwva"></div></strong>
<label id="xdwva"></label>

<thead id="xdwva"></thead>
    <label id="xdwva"></label>

  1. 日本高清色视频在线视频在,国产香蕉97碰碰视频碰碰看,丰满少妇av无码区,精品无码专区在线,久久无码专区免费看,四虎欧美精品永久地址99,亚洲色无码一区二区三区