欧洲央行下调利率刺激经济

The two leaders do have a "plan B." If all 27 members do not accept their plan, they will push the 17 eurozone members to adopt it.

法德两国领导人还有“变通计划”。如果欧盟27国不同意他们的建议，他们将催促欧元区17国采纳他们的建议。

The eurozone debt crisis and fears of a looming recession prompted the European Central Bank (ECB) to announce Thursday it is cutting its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percent for the second month in a row. At a press conference in Frankfurt, the ECB's new chief, Mario Draghi, also signaled the bank was expanding emergency funding to cash-strapped banks.

欧元区债务危机以及担心经济即将陷入衰退迫使欧洲央行星期四宣布将基准利率下调0.25个百份点，这是该央行连续第二个月降息。欧洲央行新任行长马里奥·德拉吉还表示，该央行将向现金紧张的银行扩大紧急资金援助。

"A number of factors seem to be dampening the growth momentum in the euro area," said Draghi. "They include a moderation in the pace of global demand growth, and unfavorable effects on overall financing conditions and on confidence resulting from ongoing tensions in euro-area sovereign debt markets as well as process of balance-sheet adjustments in financial and non-financial areas."

While Draghi predicted a better economic forecast next year, ratings agency Standard & Poor's dumped more bad news on Europe - warning on Wednesday it might cut the credit rating of the European Union and that of top European banks. It has already warned it might downgrade the ratings of 15 eurozone countries.

虽然德拉吉对于明年的经济作出较好的预测，但是信用评级机构标准普尔带来了有关欧洲的更多坏消息。该机构星期三警告称，它可能下调欧盟和欧洲大银行的信用评级。标准普尔已经警告说，可能下调15个欧元区国家的评级。

In an interview on French radio, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Junker - who also heads the euro group of countries - expressed surprise at the S&P move.

卢森堡首相兼欧元集团主席容克在法国电台的一个访谈节目中对标普的举动表示惊讶。

Asked if he was optimistic the EU leaders could reach agreement during their summit, Mr. Junker was blunt. The leaders, he said, have to reach an agreement.

在被问到对欧盟国家领导人在峰会期间达成协议是否感到乐观时，容克直言不讳。他说，欧盟领导人不得不达成协议。