MUST READS China’s 7.4% growth beats forecast – BBC China growth dips as property fears rise – Washington Post As Credit Dries Up, Smaller Companies in China Feel the Pinch – NY Times Armored vehicles in eastern Ukraine raise Russian flag – MarketWatch Rivals show force in eastern Ukraine before talks – Reuters Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler? – Forbes Ukraine Says Russia Exporting ‘Terror’ Amid Eastern Push – Bloomberg Rebuttal for Rajan: Bernanke Defends U.S. Policy in Visit to Mumbai – WSJ It’s Official: America is an Oligarchy and NOT a Democracy – Washington’s Blog Peterson’s Guide to Financial Blog Commenters – Aleph Blog How Much Trading Should There Be? – Bloomberg The problems of HFT, Joe Stiglitz edition – Salmon, Reuters Get Used to It: The Rich Do Get Richer – Fiscal Times
MARKETS/INVESTING Stocks close higher as volatility returns – USA Today Global shares up on China relief, Ukraine strains remain – Reuters Stumbling S&P 500 Reaches Worst Stretch of Election Cycle – Bloomberg Some advisers are getting a head start on selling stocks this year – MarketWatch Bonds shine again as Great Rotation gives way to Asset Reflation – Reuters Treasuries Fall as Stocks Gain Before Housing, Factory Reports – Bloomberg Gold steadies above $1,300/oz, supported by Ukraine tensions – Reuters Mainstream Gold Analysis: Out of Touch, Out of Context and Off the Mark – SCI Goldman Sachs Is Highly Motivated To Low-Ball The Price Of Gold – SRSrocco Report SGE Withdrawals Equal Chinese Gold Demand, Part 3 – In Gold We Trust Year to the day of $200 shocker, another strange gold price plunge – Mining.com Can gold confound the markets and hit $1,400? – CNBC
ECONOMY/WORLD/HOUSING/BANKING Has inflation in the US bottomed out? – Sober Look Losing Benefits Isn’t Prodding Unemployed Back to Work – FiveThirtyEight About That “Strong” March Retail Sales “Bounce” – Contra Corner UK unemployment falls to 6.9 percent – Telegraph US Treasury declines to name China as currency manipulator – China Daily What the Heck is Going on With US Treasuries In Belgium? – Testosterone Pit British house prices increase by 9.1 pct in February – xinhuanet Housing Market Slow to Hit Its Normal Spring Stride – WSJ SoCal Home Sales at 6-year Low; Median Price Rises to 6-Year High – Dataquick Out of Ammo? The Eroding Power of Central Banks – Spiegel More Rounds of BOJ Easing May Be Needed – WSJ The IMF is Dead Wrong on Low Interest Rates – Mises
