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米GM、工場停止を延長 販売奨励策を強化へ
GM Extends Plant Shutdowns, Offers More Sales Incentives (WSJ.com)
DETROIT -- Expanding its efforts to address a steep decline in sales of pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles, General Motors Corp. plans to extend the summer shutdowns at six plants and to offer more sales incentives to clear its bloated inventory of large vehicles.
The company will also raise prices on its 2009 models by 3.5% on average, equal to about $1,000 per vehicle, to help cover increased commodity costs, additional vehicle content and fuel-economy technology.
GM's production changes come three days after Ford Motor Co. announced plans to further slash production of large vehicles and delay the release of its redesigned F-150 pickup truck by two months. Chrysler, the other major U.S.-based auto maker, has also said it will scale back production of large vehicles.
bloated: 膨れ上がった
中国鉄鋼会社、鉄鉱石の96％値上げに合意 リオと交渉妥結
Chinese agree 96% jump in ore prices (FT.com)
Global inflation fears deepened as Chinese steelmakers agreed to a record increase in annual iron ore prices in a move likely to boost the cost of cars, machinery and other products.
Chinese millers agreed to pay Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto up to 96.5 per cent more for their ore supplies this year, the largest ever annual increase and well above the 9.5 per cent increase paid last year.
The rise suggests that demand for commodities from emerging economies remains strong, in spite of the US slowdown, fuelling fears that global inflation will continue to rise. The rise – an average 85 per cent – surpasses the record increase of 71.5 per cent agreed in 2005, when the commodities boom gathered pace.
iron ore: 鉄鉱石（の）
commodity: 商品
to gather pace: 勢いを増す
米マケイン氏、エネルギー危機対策を発表 車両用バッテリー開発に３億ドル
McCain to Propose Prize For New Auto Battery (WSJ.com)
FRESNO, Calif. -- John McCain is hoping to solve the country's energy crisis with cold hard cash.
The presumed Republican nominee on Monday proposed a $300 million government prize to whoever can develop an automobile battery that far surpasses existing technology. The bounty would equate to $1 for every man, woman and child in the country, "a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency," Mr. McCain said at Fresno State University.
The Arizona senator also proposed stiffer fines for auto makers who skirt existing fuel-efficiency standards, as well as incentives to increase use of domestic and foreign alcohol-based fuels such as ethanol.
In addition, a so-called Clean Car Challenge would encourage U.S. auto makers to develop zero-emission vehicles by offering consumers the incentive of a $5,000 tax credit when they purchase one.
cold hard cash: 現金
to surpass: ～よりも優れている
ethanol: エタノール
ユーロ圏、経済環境が悪化 ６月ユーロ圏PMI速報値は製造業49.1・サービス業49.5、６月独IFO景況感指数は101.3
Slowdown Hits Euro Zone (WSJ.com)
BERLIN -- Business activity in the euro zone contracted for the first time in five years, according to a closely watched business survey released Monday, as high oil prices, a strong currency and the threat of rising interest rates take their toll.
The unexpectedly sharp drop in the euro zone's Purchasing Managers Index and a decline in Germany's Ifo Index of business confidence, also released Monday, suggest the global economic slowdown is now seriously affecting the 15-nation euro zone. That will complicate the European Central Bank's job of reining in inflation, economists say.
The euro-zone index, which measures business indicators ...
to contract: 縮小する
to take a toll: 損失を与える
米シティ、投資銀行部門の人員10％削減へ
Citigroup to Cut 10% of Investment Banking Jobs (WSJ.com)
Citigroup Inc., in the latest sign of bloodletting on Wall Street, is set this week to embark on an aggressive round of layoffs within its investment-banking division, people familiar with the matter said.
The New York bank, which has suffered $15 billion in losses over the past two quarters and is likely to rack up billions of dollars in additional write-downs in the second quarter, this week will dismiss thousands of investment-banking employees world-wide as part of a plan to cut the roughly 65,000-employee group by 10%, the people said. Pink slips are likely to be handed out Monday.
Citigroup, which has more than 350,000 employees around the world, had fired at least 9,000 workers as of March 31. Still, the coming cuts are unusual in their scope and severity. Mergers-and-acquisitions bankers are expected to see especially sharp cuts, in part because their ranks were not trimmed as much as other units earlier this year. But no major department is likely to be spared, aside from some businesses in emerging markets and Citigroup's lucrative transactions-services arm.
layoff: 解雇
to rack up: ～を蓄積する
write-down: 評価損
イラン核兵器開発阻止、EUが独自制裁 金融資産凍結
EU Adopts New Iran Sanctions (WSJ.com)
BRUSSELS -- European Union nations approved new sanctions against Iran Monday, including an assets freeze of the country's biggest bank.
The Bank of Melli is suspected of providing services to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and, in a similar move, was blacklisted by the U.S. last year.
The EU said it will also announce Tuesday additional financial and travel sanctions -- effective immediately -- on several Iranian companies and ...
sanction: 制裁
assets freeze: 資産凍結
ballistic missile: 弾道ミサイル（の）
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