經濟形勢好轉 澳公司聖誕支出大增

Many Australians will really have a merry Christmas as more companies forget the financial crisis this holiday season and splash out on year-end parties, according to a business forecast.

After falling sharply in 2008, corporate spending is expected to be on the up this Christmas, with business information analysts IBISWorld forecasting companies will spend over A$560 million ($513.3 million) on events -- an increase of 76 percent from last year.

The number of companies throwing Christmas parties is expected to increase to 92 percent this year, compared to just 67 percent in 2008, and the average spent per employee is set to rise from $75 to $105.

"As we look to 2010, many Australian companies are finding themselves in a much better position than projected," IBISWorld General Manager Robert Bryant said in a statement.

"And while 2008-09 saw corporate Australia slash costs, thus raising capital and expanding profitability, the looming upturn in the job market and need to retain skilled employees will see companies spend up on end-of-2009 events."

In 2008, the global financial crisis drove businesses all over the world to slash spending or cancel Christmas parties altogether.

今年很多澳大利亞人確實可以過一個開心的聖誕節了。一項經濟預測報告顯示，在聖誕來臨之際，澳大利亞很多公司將金融危機拋之腦後，準備大花一筆辦年終派對。

2008年很多公司大幅削減開支，但今年的聖誕支出有望攀升。據IBISWorld經濟信息分析公司預測，今年澳大利亞公司的聖誕支出將超過5.6億澳元（5.133億美元），比去年同期增長76%。

據預測，今年預計有92%的公司將舉辦聖誕派對，而這一比例在2008年僅有67%。員工人均消費將從75澳元增至105澳元。

IBISWorld公司的總經理羅伯特•布萊恩特在一份聲明中說：“展望2010年，澳大利亞很多公司發現經濟狀況要好於預期。”

“儘管在2008年至2009年間，澳大利亞公司紛紛削減開支，以籌集資金並提高收益，但由於就業市場隱現復甦跡象以及需要留住有經驗的員工，各公司打算在年終派對上大花一筆。”

在2008年，受全球經濟危機的影響，世界各地的企業紛紛削減聖誕開支，或乾脆連聖誕派對也一併取消了。

Vocabulary:

splash out：揮霍，隨意花錢

year-end：年終的

throw：to give or host（舉行聚會）