US, Japanese Stocks Rise in 2013

2013年美国日本股市飙升

From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

Stock prices in the United States and Japan rose sharply in 2013. The rising prices were evidence of investors welcoming efforts to push down interest rates. Low interest rates help to reduce the cost of homes, equipment and other goods.

2013年美国和日本股票价格大幅上涨。股价上涨是投资者认同推动利率下降措施的证据。低利率有助于降低住房、设备和其它货物的成本。

The leading measure of Japanese stock prices was up 57 percent last year. That was the best performance for Japan's Nikkei Index in many years. In the United States, another stock index, the S&P 500, rose almost 30 percent in 2013. Another measure of stocks, the NASDAQ Composite Index, rose 38 percent.

去年日本的日经指数上涨了57%，这是日经指数多年来的最好表现。而2013年美国的标准普尔500指数上涨了近30%，另一项衡量股票的纳斯达克综合指数上涨了38%。

The share prices were up, in part, because of actions by the US and Japanese central banks. The US Federal Reserve cut short-term interest rates to almost zero a few years ago. More recently, the Federal Reserve has been working to push down long-term interest rates. The central bank has been buying billions of dollars' worth of bonds and other government securities. The bank recently announced it would reduce that program because the economy no longer needs so much help.

股价上涨部分是由 于美国和日本央行采取的行动。美国联邦储备委员会(美国央行，简称美联储)几年前将短期利率削减到几乎为零。最近，美联储一直在努力降低长期利率。作为央 行的美联储一直在购买价值数十亿美元的债券和国债。美联储最近宣布，由于经济不再需要这么多帮助，它将减少该程序。

Nick Ventura is with Ventura Wealth Management, a financial investment company in New Jersey. He calls some of the actions by central banks a "global gamble" that has worked, at least so far. In 2013, the American economy grew and housing prices rose. At the same time, the jobless rate fell a little.

尼克·文图拉(Nick Ventura)就职于文图拉财富管理公司，这是一家位于新泽西州的金融投资公司。他称美、日两家央行的一些行动是一场全球赌博，但到目前为止是成功的。在2013年，美国经济出现增长，住房价格出现上涨。与此同时，失业率略所下降。

Mr. Ventura says the improving economy meant fewer wild movements in stock prices, and fewer worried investors.

文图拉表示，经济改善意味着股票价格剧烈波动会变少，忧心忡忡的投资者也会减少。

"Every time that there was the slightest pullback in stock prices it was rewarded with a fresh round of buying. So there is a growing confidence in the U.S. recovery and I think that's what really perked up the U.S. economy."

他说，“每次股价轻微回调，都会得到新一轮买盘的奖励。所以全球对美国经济复苏的信心越来越强，我认为正是它激活了美国经济。”

Experts say they saw improvements in consumer and investor confidence toward the end of last year. That sense of trust seems to be making investors more willing to take small risks by purchasing shares of stock.

专家们表示，他们看到了去年年底消费者和投资者信心的增强。这种信任感使得投资者更愿意通过购买股票冒些小风险。

The Wall Street Journal says investors are simply looking for stocks with low prices and a likelihood of strong earnings. Another newspaper, The Financial Times, reports that investments said to offer safety in troubled economic times saw fewer buyers. These investments include gold and government bonds. Some experts predict stock prices will continue to climb in 2014, but at a slower rate than last year.

华尔街日报表示，投资者只是在寻找可能存在丰厚收益的低价股票。另一家报纸金融时报则报道说，经济困难时期据称安全的投资现在鲜有买家。这些投资包括黄金和国债。有专家预测，2014年股价会继续攀升，不过与去年相比速度会放缓。

Over in Turkey, a deepening political crisis is affecting the country's stock market. By the end of 2013, Turkey's stock market had fallen more than 20 percent, while the value of Turkish money hit new lows.

而在土耳其，一次深化政治危机正影响着该国的股市。到2013年年底，土耳其股市已经下跌逾20%，土耳其货币价值也触及新低。

Concerns are growing about the effects of the power struggle between the government and the judiciary. More than 20 people, including state officials, have been arrested on corruption charges.

对政府和司法机构之间权力斗争影响的担忧在不断发酵。包括政府官员在内的20多人因腐败指控被逮捕。

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismisses the investigation as part of a plot to bring down his government.

土耳其总理雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安(Recep Tayyip Erdogan)驳回了一项调查，这是密谋推翻他的政府的措施的一部分。

Last week, protesters gathered in several cities to demand the resignation of the prime minister. Thousands of supporters of Mr. Erdogan held separate demonstrations.

上周，示威者聚集在数个城市要求总理辞职。埃尔多安的数千名支持者也举行了另外的示威活动。

US, Japanese Stocks Rise in 2013

By VOA

03 January, 2014

From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.

Stock prices in the United States and Japan rose sharply in 2013. The rising prices were evidence of investors welcoming efforts to push down interest rates. Low interest rates help to reduce the cost of homes, equipment and other goods.

The leading measure of Japanese stock prices was up 57 percent last year. That was the best performance for Japan's Nikkei Index in many years. In the United States, another stock index, the S&P 500, rose almost 30 percent in 2013. Another measure of stocks, the NASDAQ Composite Index, rose 38 percent.

The share prices were up, in part, because of actions by the US and Japanese central banks. The US Federal Reserve cut short-term interest rates to almost zero a few years ago. More recently, the Federal Reserve has been working to push down long-term interest rates. The central bank has been buying billions of dollars' worth of bonds and other government securities. The bank recently announced it would reduce that program because the economy no longer needs so much help.

Nick Ventura is with Ventura Wealth Management, a financial investment company in New Jersey. He calls some of the actions by central banks a "global gamble" that has worked, at least so far. In 2013, the American economy grew and housing prices rose. At the same time, the jobless rate fell a little.

Mr. Ventura says the improving economy meant fewer wild movements in stock prices, and fewer worried investors.

"Every time that there was the slightest pullback in stock prices it was rewarded with a fresh round of buying. So there is a growing confidence in the U.S. recovery and I think that's what really perked up the U.S. economy."

Experts say they saw improvements in consumer and investor confidence toward the end of last year. That sense of trust seems to be making investors more willing to take small risks by purchasing shares of stock.

The Wall Street Journal says investors are simply looking for stocks with low prices and a likelihood of strong earnings. Another newspaper, The Financial Times, reports that investments said to offer safety in troubled economic times saw fewer buyers. These investments include gold and government bonds. Some experts predict stock prices will continue to climb in 2014, but at a slower rate than last year.

Over in Turkey, a deepening political crisis is affecting the country's stock market. By the end of 2013, Turkey's stock market had fallen more than 20 percent, while the value of Turkish money hit new lows.

Concerns are growing about the effects of the power struggle between the government and the judiciary. More than 20 people, including state officials, have been arrested on corruption charges.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismisses the investigation as part of a plot to bring down his government.

Last week, protesters gathered in several cities to demand the resignation of the prime minister. Thousands of supporters of Mr. Erdogan held separate demonstrations.

And that's In the News from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.