MUST READS Obama Needs a New Deal – Shiller, Project Syndicate Obama kicks off second term with new challenges – Reuters Fed official: Geithner may have discussed rate cut with banks – The Hill Federal Reserve was blind to crisis in 2007 – CNN/Money Jim Cramer Was Right—They Knew Nothing! – CNBC Fed Flunked 2007 Recession Forecast – Baum, Bloomberg Flashback to 2007: Tanta on “Sound bankers” – Calculated Risk Senate Democrats’ budget plan will reopen battle over taxes – Washington Post A long-run perspective on the U.S. deficit and debt – Econbrowser This week: House gears up for debt ceiling votes – The Hill Buffett: U.S. debt on its own ‘not a problem’ – MarketWatch How Crazy? – Noland, Prudent Bear
MARKETS/INVESTING Oil price dips, trading muted on US public holiday – AP Gold rises as U.S. budget talks lift European stocks – Reuters Market’s geared up for Apple, Google results – MarketWatch Is the ‘Abe Trade’ in Danger of Unwinding? – CNBC China Stocks Rise to 7-Month High as Vanke Surges – Bloomberg Gold Market “Still Doesn’t Look Very Confident” – BullionVault How Can The Gold Price Drop In A Matter Of Milliseconds? – GoldSilverWorlds Pacific Group is Latest Hedge Fund to Convert to Physical Gold – Gold Core Goldman Forecasts Gold Rally Amid Debt-Ceiling Confrontation – Bloomberg Misunderstanding Gold Demand – Lew Rockwell
ECONOMY/WORLD/HOUSING/BANKING 2008 Again? – Azizonomics The real worry is inflation – Fleckenstein, MSN Money Hamada: BOJ Should Slow Easing If Yen Weakens Too Much – Bloomberg China upturn underscores need to rebalance economy – Reuters Bank predicts 8.5% China growth in 2013 – China Daily China’s massive credit dependency – FT Alphaville JPMorgan Embraces Offshore Yuan as Trading Doubles – Bloomberg London Home Prices Have Biggest New-Year Surge in Five Years – Bloomberg Housing speculation explodes with institutional investors – O.C. Housing News In Davos, Atmosphere for Bankers Improves – DealBook End The Fed, Or Celebrate Its Existence? – Forbes Janet Yellen for Fed Chair! – CNN/Money
