Talking Up the Dollar (2/2)

慢速VOA,听写,英语,VOA ,经济,美元

Some experts say dollar weakness is the main reason why oil prices have risen so high. Oil is priced in dollars on the world market.But Treasury Secretary Paulson dismissed any link. He noted that since two thousand two, the dollar has fallen about twenty-four percent. But the price of oil has gone up well over five hundred percent.

Adding to pressure on the dollar, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet suggested that the E.C.B will raise interest rates next month. European officials are increasingly concerned with inflation. But investors can already get higher rates of return on investments in euros than in dollars.

High prices for oil, food and other products have raised inflation concerns worldwide. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the latest increases in energy prices have added to inflation risks.

His comments in recent days have suggested that the central bank could stop cutting rates as it has since September. Its rate for overnight loans between banks is currently at two percent. Some market watchers think the Fed could raise rates as early as this month.Finance ministers from nations in the Group of Eight will discuss the dollar and other issues at their meeting this weekend in Osaka, Japan.

参考译文：

一些专家说，疲软的美元是油价高涨的主要原因。在全球市场上油价用美元标价。但是财政部长保尔森否决了之间的关系。他指出，2002年以来，美元已下跌24%，但石油的价格照样上涨了500%多。

对美元施加压力的欧洲央行行长特里谢建议欧洲央行下月升息。欧洲官员越来越关注通货膨胀。但与基于美元投资相比，投资家还是能用欧元获得更高的投资回报率。

原油，粮食和其它产品的高价已经加剧全球性的通货膨胀焦虑。美联储主席伯南克表示能源价格的最新上涨已经增加了通货膨胀的危险。

他最近的评论建议央行停止自9月份开始降息行动。银行间的过夜贷款利率目前是2%。一些市场观察家认为美联储本该在本月提升利率。周末，八国集团(G8)成员国的财政部长将会在日本大阪举行的会议上商讨美元和其它问题。