[地道表達]##

• FOR a spell last year American banks seemed poised to reattain the sort of double-digit returns that have largely eluded them since the financial crisis
  [elude]
  [解釋]To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill; 躲避：如以膽量、機智或技巧而從…躲避或逃跑

• The rash of swingeing fines that had been disfiguring profits had largely dissipated
  [swinge]
  [解釋] (British English) very severe reductions in spending, especially by a government or organization
  [dissipate]
  [解釋] [intransitive and transitive] to gradually become less or weaker before disappearing completely, or to make something do this

• The volatility in markets, meanwhile, is causing takeovers and issuance of shares and debt to atrophy
  [volatility]
  [解釋] 多變；a volatile situation is likely to change suddenly and without warning
  [atrophy]
  [解釋]A wasting away, deterioration, or diminution；衰退：廢棄，退化或減少

• For investors, however, that is scant consolation.
  [scant]
  [解釋] barely sufficient; 貧乏的：不足的

[句式連接]##

• In part, the poor performance of bank shares stems from the broader gloom in global markets. But investors have also noticed that the growth in banks’ profits comes more from falling costs than from rising revenue.
  [分析] 分析原因的段落寫法可以學習：一部分原因是...更多是因為...
  [翻譯] 銀行股價下跌的部分原因與全球市場整體不景氣有關。但是投資者也發現銀行利潤之所以增長，更多地是依靠股價下跌而非收入增加。

[專業知識]

• margin lending###

[解釋] A program though lending institutions that allows an individual to borrow money for the purposes of investing it. The amount of credit loaned is based upon the amount of assets held by the borrower, which are pledged as collateral on the loan. This program is often used by individuals who want to invest more than they currently are investing, and are willing to take on the risk of this type of loan.

• public offering

[解釋]
政府、金融機構、工商企業等在發行證券時，可以選擇不同的投資者作為發行對象，由此，可以將證券發行分為公募和私募兩種形式。
公募又稱公開發行，是指發行人通過中介機構向不特定的社會公眾廣泛地發售證券，通過公開營銷等方式向沒有特定限制的對象募集資金的業務模式。為適應更廣大投資者的需求，公募沒有合同份數和起點金額的限制。因為涉及眾多中小投資人的利益，監管當局對公募資金的使用方向、信息披露內容、風險防范要求都非常高。而私募是面向少量的、特定的投資者募集資金的方式。參加人一般應具有一定的經濟實力、風險識別和風險承擔能力。
在公募發行情況下，所有合法的社會投資者都可以參加認購。為了保障廣大投資者的利益，各國對公募發行都有嚴格的要求，如發行人要有較高的信用，并符合證券主管部門規定的各項發行條件，經批準后方可發行。
公募的載體包括股票、債券、基金等多種形式。
來源：http://wiki.mbalib.com/wiki/

• private placement###

[解釋]
政府、金融機構、工商企業等在發行證券時，可以選擇不同的投資者作為發行對象，由此，可以將證券發行分為公募和私募兩種形式。

私募(Private Placement)是相對于公募(Public offering)而言，私募是指向小規模數量Accredited Investor（通常35個以下）出售股票，此方式可以免除如在美國證券交易委員會（SEC）的注冊程序。投資者要簽署一份投資書聲明，購買目的是投資而不是為了再次出售。
來源：http://wiki.mbalib.com/wiki/