The US recession “is very likely over”

美联储(Fed)主席本•伯南克(Ben Bernanke)昨日表示，美国经济衰退“很可能已经结束”。数据显示，上月美国零售销售出现了逾3年以来最快的增长。 ).BZPyV<  
　　The US recession “is very likely over”, Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman, said yesterday as data showed retail sales rose last month at the fastest rate in more than three years. <oc"!c;T  
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　　由于广受欢迎的“旧车换现金”汽车补贴计划预期的提振作用，加之其它支出令人意外的回升，零售销售额增长了2.7%。 srbU}u3VZ  
　　Sales rose 2.7 per cent, with the expected boost from the popular “cash for clunkers” car rebate programme accompanied by a surprise pick-up in other spending. f""+jc1  
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　　这引发了人们的希望：美国消费者可能正从楼市崩塌的瓦砾、股市的过山车表现以及不断攀升的失业率中走出。 yJj$iri  
　　This raised hopes that US consumers might be re-emerging from the rubble of the housing market collapse, the roller-coaster ride in equities markets and rising unemployment. -f+U:/'.>v  
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　　三菱东京UFJ银行(Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ)的克里斯•鲁普基(Chris Rupkey)表示：“这是持续全面复苏模式中消费者的表现。美联储应该停止谈论它的退出策略，而应该开始将其付诸实施——如果数据继续看好的话。” xTy[X"sJ  
　　“This is a consumer that is in a lasting full recovery mode,” said Chris Rupkey, at the Bank of Tokyo/Mitsubishi UFJ. “The Fed is going to need to stop talking about its exit strategy and start implementing it if today's data keeps up.” ]W-7 U_  
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　　其他人则更为谨慎，因为8月份是开学月。富国银行(Wells Fargo)的亚当•约克(Adam York)表示：“我想看看这是否只是一个月的反弹，还是真正的趋势。” ]Ywj@-*q  
　　Others were more cautious, pointing out that August was the back-to-school month. “I'd like to see if this is just a one-month bounce or an actual trend,” said Adam York, at Wells Fargo. Ax9a5;5WM  
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　　许多经济学家认为，家庭获取信贷渠道的匮乏和他们减少债务的意愿，将在数月期间遏制消费者支出。 O[tOpf@s.  
　　Many economists believe that consumer spending will be constrained for months by households' limited access to credit and their desire to reduce their debts. w}OJ2^  
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　　然而，在很长一段时间近乎停滞的支出之后，对一些商品可能存在被压制的需求。 M7\; Y  
　　However, after a long period of near-stagnant spending, there may be pent-up demand for some goods. DH#n7s'b  
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　　伯南克对经济复苏状况仍持谨慎态度，他未对销售额数据做出直接置评。 ?f\;z<e|  
　　Mr Bernanke, who did not comment directly on the sales report, remained cautious about the shape of the recovery. ;Y&<psQeb  
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　　他表示，他预期2010年会出现“温和”复苏——增长率“不会超出潜在经济增长率太多”，即3%左右。
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　　He said he expected a “moderate” recovery in 2010 with growth “not much faster than the underlying potential growth rate of the economy” – which means around 3 per cent. +}XFkH ~  
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　　在已经结束的“旧车换现金”计划的提振下，8月份汽车及汽车零部件的销售大幅增长了10.6%；加油站的销售也因油价在该月的上涨而大幅增长了5.1%。 (5^bU<  
　　Car and car parts sales jumped 10.6 per cent in August thanks to the now-defunct clunker scheme, while petrol stations' sales also jumped 5.1 per cent as the price of oil rose during the month. G lz0`z  
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　　但即使剔除所有与汽车、汽油有关的销售，零售额也增长了可观的0.6%，得益于服饰、运动商品、书籍、电子产品和食品等项目的销售增长。 ^!={=No]  
　　But even excluding all auto-related purchases and petrol, retail sales were up a healthy 0.6 per cent with increased spending on clothing, sporting goods, books, electronics and food.