While corporate executives obsessively watch the bottom line, practitioners of the dismal science prefer to focus on the big picture. Lately some have found reason for concern in the part of companies' public reports that is up top: sales.

在公司高管执迷地盯着财务报表底部的利润数据之际，经济学家宁愿着眼于宏观。最近一些经济学家从公司报表顶头的销售数字当中，发现了值得担忧的苗头。

Do economists have their heads in the clouds or does disappointing corporate revenue really spell trouble as the fourth quarter moves into the home stretch?

在第四季度进入最后一程之际，是经济学家在胡思乱想，还是令人失望的公司收入确实预示着麻烦的出现？

With nearly all of the S&P 500 having reported third-quarter results, earnings were hardly robust but still slightly better than expected. In early October, consensus forecasts compiled by Thomson Reuters called for a 2% drop in year-on-year earnings growth. That would have been the first decline since the recession. The final figure should show they grew, though barely.

标准普尔500指数的成分股公司几乎全都已经发布了第三季度业绩，它们的利润很难说强劲，但还是略好于预期。根据汤森路透(Thomson Reuters)10月上旬的调查，分析师普遍预计利润将同比下降2%。若果真如此，这将是本次衰退结束以来的第一次下降。但最终数字应该会显示利润实现了增长，虽然只不过是勉强实现了增长。

【第三季公司收入预示美国经济不容乐观】相关文章：

★ 盘点2011年全球最“潮”的工作（双语）

★ 熊猫粪便垒成的“维纳斯”卖出高价

★ 台湾小胖弟模仿蔡依林跳热辣折手舞

★ 美国避免“财政悬崖”协议显现雏形

★ 双语：英国“最大狗”新鲜出炉

★ 双语：新加坡国旗印上短裤惹争议

★ 节日英语：元宵节的各种习俗

★ 绯闻女孩第四季剧透 Chuck是否归来之谜

★ 牛津字典收录微博词汇 网络用语受宠

★ 大陆民航班机56年来首次飞往台湾