英国首相布朗说，国际货币基金组织试图支持世界各地陷于金融危机的经济体，因此可能面临资金短缺。布朗呼吁中国和盛产石油的海湾国家等拥有大量外汇储备的国家为国际货币基金组织提供更多资金。国际货币基金组织近来一直致力于帮助几个国家，包括乌克兰和冰岛。
布朗是在前往法国与萨尔科齐总统讨论经济问题之前说这番话的。星期四，布朗还将在伦敦会晤德国总理默克尔。与此同时，世界两家主要中央银行可能即将降低基本利率，以期推动陷于困境的全球经济。美国联邦储备委员会的高层官员星期二开始举行两天会谈，并可能在星期三宣布降息。
欧洲中央银行负责人说，该银行很可能于下星期降息。今天，世界各地的股市大幅上涨。香港主要股指大涨14%以上，东京和德国的主要股指涨势强劲。巴黎、伦敦和纽约的股市也大幅上涨。
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says the International Monetary Fund may run short of money as it tries to bolster economies around the world battered by the financial meltdown. Mr. Brown called on nations with substantial reserves like China and oil-rich Gulf states to contribute more to the fund. The IMF has been working to help several nations, including Ukraine and Iceland recently.
Mr. Brown spoke before traveling to France for talks on economic issues with President Nicolas Sarkozy. He also is set to meet with Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Thursday in London. Meanwhile, two of the world’s major central banks may be about to cut key interest rates in an attempt to boost the economy. Top officials of the U.S. Federal Reserve begin a two-day meeting Tuesday, and could announce a rate cut Wednesday.
The head of the European Central Bank (ECB) says the institution is likely to cut interest rates next week. Also today, stock markets around the world are soaring. Hong Kong’s key index rocketed upward more than 14 percent, and major indexes in Tokyo and Germany posted strong gains. Stock prices in Paris, London and New York also advanced strongly.