美聯儲 美國經濟復甦失去勢頭

The US economic expansion faltered badly in the first quarter with gross domestic product rising by a sluggish 0.2 per cent annual pace, which could influence policy makers’ decision on when to lift interest rates.

美聯儲(Fed)表示，美國經濟復甦失去勢頭，而招聘節奏已經放緩，從而引發人們預期，美聯儲不太可能在夏季加息。

The growth figure was a fraction of the 1 per cent rate of expansion predicted by economists, and marked a sharp slowdown from the 2.2 per cent recorded for the fourth quarter of 2014 and the 5 per cent expansion in the third. A freezing winter and port strikes were partly to blame, while factors such as the surging dollar and deep drop in oil-related investment will have a longer-lasting effect on the economy.

今年第一季度美國經濟擴張嚴重受挫，年化國內生產總值(GDP)增長率僅0.2%，這可能影響政策制定者關於何時加息的決定。經濟學家們原本預計年化經濟增長率將達到1%，實際數字僅爲它的五分之一，並且大大低於2014年第四季度錄得的2.2%和第三季度的5%。嚴寒的冬季和港口罷工是部分原因，美元飆漲、石油相關投資一落千丈等因素則將對經濟產生更長遠的影響。

The Department of Commerce numbers came as Federal Reserve policy makers met to debate when to raise short-term interest rates. Officials have taken a more cautious tack in recent weeks amid signs of soggier growth and weaker corporate hiring in March. The dollar fell to a near two-month low after the GDP figures were released.

美國商務部(Department of Commerce)的GDP數據出爐之際，美聯儲(Fed)的政策制定者開會辯論何時提高短期利率。近幾周來，有跡象顯示增長在放緩，3月新增非農就業人數驟減，在此情況下，官員們已經採取了更謹慎的姿態。GDP數據發佈之後，美元跌至近兩月來最低點。

Dennis Lockhart, president of the Atlanta Fed, who votes on rates this year, told the Financial Times this month that he was leaning to a “later lift-off date” — pointing to September instead of June.

亞特蘭大聯邦儲備銀行(Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta)行長丹尼斯•洛克哈特(Dennis Lockhart)今年對何時加息握有一票。他本月對英國《金融時報》表示，他傾向於“遲一些的開始加息日期”，暗示加息時間不會在6月，而會在9月。

Market disappointment in the US economy sent the euro soaring against the dollar, with the common currency increasing 1.75 per cent to its highest for eight weeks and rising above $1.11.

市場對美國經濟的失望促使歐元兌美元匯率飆升，上漲1.75%至8周來最高點，超過了1歐元兌1.11美元。

Dollar strength has been accelerating since the start of the year and, coupled with the European Central Bank’s bond-buying programme, has steadily weakened the euro, in turn helping drive European exporters.

此前美元自年初以來加速走強，加上歐洲央行(ECB)的債券購買計劃，使得歐元兌美元匯率持續走低，進而幫助促進了歐洲出口。