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December 01– December 15

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12/01 How The Internet Saved Literacy Forbes / Maureen Farrell Falling dollar double-edged sword in Asia AP via Houston Chronicle / Kelly Olson Sales slide adds to Ford pressure BBC News Home Depot said it isn't interested in being bought out AP via San Diego Union Tribune / Harry R. Weber Monetary Policy and Uncertainty Federal Reserve Board / Donald L. Kohn Fed's Kohn-inflation has shifted down, risks remain Reuters / Glenn Somerville Economy hard to figure out at present: Fed's Kohn Marketwatch / Greg Robb Economic Inequality in the United States Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco / Janet L. Yellen How Should Regulators Respond to Financial Innovation? Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond / Jeffrey M. Lacker U.S. Economic Outlook Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago / Michael H. Moskow Firmer Fed policy may be needed, Fed's Moskow says Reuters / Karen Pierog Foreign Bank Lending and Bond Underwriting in Japan During the Lost Decade pdf Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco / Jose A. Lopez and Mark M. Spiegel ISM drop to force Fed cut-Pimco's McCulley Reuters / Jennifer Ablan Credit Creation Versus Headwinds Pimco / Andrew Bosomworth Oil Settles Above $63 After Cut Threats AP via Newsday / J.W. Elphinstone Beware the falling dollar Fortune via CNN / Jon Birger Ford's Nov. Sales Slip; GM, Toyota Rise AP via Chicago Tribune / David Runk Home Depot soars on takeover talk CNN / Christian Zappone Toyota's U.S. Sales Surpass Ford's Again AP via Forbes / Joseph Altman Stores struggle to fill holiday jobs AP via NJ Post / Jeff Carlton Housing slump makes U.S. shoppers cautious Globe and Mail / Barbara McKenna Chronicles of a Deflation Unforetold pdf Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago / François Velde Treasuries Rise, Pushing 10-Year Yield to Lowest Since January Bloomberg / Deborah Finestone and Elizabeth Stanton GM dominates U.S. CDS trading in November – GFI Reuters Slowdown worries pummel stocks CNN / Grace Wong Wal-Mart limps into the holidays LA Times / Abigail Goldman U.S. Economy: Manufacturing Shrinks for First Time Since 2003 Bloomberg / Courtney Schlisserman Construction Activity Drops in October AP via Newsday / Martin Crutsinger OPEC Chief Says 2nd Output Cut Likely AP via Forbes Stick It to the Fat Cats . . . . . . not the entrepreneurs National Review / Tom Nugent Security Of Electronic Voting Is Condemned Washington Post / Cameron W. Barr White House warned on airlines Washington Times / Sean Lengell Two Cents From Readers Philadelphia Inquirer / Andrew Cassel Study: U.S. Workers Prefer PPOs, HMOs AP via Newsday / Theresa Agovino Welcoming remarks at the Fourth Conference of the International Research Forum on Monetary Policy Federal Reserve Board / Ben S. Bernanke Federal Reserve Events Reuters Bernanke Serves Policy for Breakfast AP via Chicago Tribune / Jeanne Aversa Mortgage Bonds Hurt by Delinquencies, Housing Slump Bloomberg / Darrell Hassler States, Localities Wary of Embracing Toll Road Sales Bloomberg / Joe Mysak Where costs will rise (or fall) in 2007 CNN / Jeanne Sahadi Friday’s Stocktiming.com Analysis Stocktiming.com / Marty Chenard Costly Bonds, Real Estate Make Stocks Look Good Bloomberg / Chet Currier Oil sinks below $63, OPEC mulls more cuts Reuters via CNN Dollar Set for Weekly Loss on Expectations Rate Premium to Fade Bloomberg / Min Zeng and Agnes Lovasz First Ports, Now Airlines? Forbes / Jessica Holzer CA: County's economy continues to droop San Diego Union Tribune / Dean Calbreath Pimco's Gross Says Credit Derivatives Show Bond Rally Is Over Bloomberg / Elizabeth Stanton and Shannon D. Harrington November Volume Lags '05 Bond Buyer / Matthew Posner Some Hedge Funds Decide That Relying on Banks Is Just Too Risky NY Times / Jenny Anderson The revenge of the utilities Marketwatch / Mark Hulbert Senator Has Questions for NASD NY Times / Gretchen Morgenson Oil May Rise on Lower U.S. Supplies, Cold Weather Bloomberg / Mark Shenk Japan's Inflation Unexpectedly Slows; Jobless Falls Bloomberg / Mayumi Otsuma Why Paulson Will Face Disappointment in China Bloomberg / William Pesek

12/02 Cracks widen in U.S. economy Washington Times / Patrice Hill Shoppers warned over US gift duty BBC News Consumer Lookout: There's help for house payments Minneapolis Star Tribune / Jackie Crosby Capitalism thrives with immigration Denver Post / Al Lewis The Recession of 2007 Thoughts From The Frontline via Safehaven / John Mauldin Kimball in running to lead Atlanta Fed Boston Globe / Keith Reed Rally hits choppy waters CNN / Alexandra Twin Europe calmly looks at sliding dollar AP via NJ Post / David McHugh MI: Riddle me this: Do you want to sell that house or not? Detroit News / Brian J. O’Conner OH: Sales of existing homes tumble 9.3% in area Akron Beacon Journal / Marilyn Miller SEC targets trader’s Folks NY Post / Roddy Boyd Negative manufacturing, construction reports have investors wondering when Fed will reduce rates AP via Pittsburgh Post Gazette / Jessica Mintz Small Brokers Hope to Block NYSE - NASD Linkup Reuters via NY times Delay on Tax Breaks Affects Millions AP via ABC News / Jim Abrams Bush may end drilling ban in Alaskan bay AP via St. Petersburg Times / John Heilprin IRS needs help for busy season Kansas City Star / Gene Meyer MD: Bank lowers profit outlook Baltimore Sun / Laura Smitherman It's getting tougher to stay on top LA Times via Houston Chronicle / Molly Selvin Taiwan: Vehicle sales down 30 percent in first 11 months of 2006 Taipei Times / Jason Tan You need the right real estate agent in buyer's market Bankrate.com via Seattle Post Intelligencer / Holden Lewis Jobless rate expected to tick higher in November Marketwatch / Rex Nutting OPEC sends conflicting signal on need for deeper cut Reuters via Washington Post / Summer Said and Talal Malik UK: Fears for US industry edge dollar closer to 50p mark Guardian / Larry Elliott Dollar Tumbles to 20-Month Low Against Euro on Slowdown Concern Bloomberg / Min Zeng European Government Bonds Post Weekly Advance as Euro Gains Bloomberg / Gavin Finch Volatile Dollar May Not Be Scary to Washington NY Times / Steven R. Weisman Bank of America’s Chief Financial Officer Decides to Leave NY Times / Eric Dash Nature Getting the Blame for Costly Orange Juice NY Times / Andrew Martin Japan's 10-Year Bonds Gain for Second Week as Inflation Slows Bloomberg / Keiko Ujikane Extra Weight, Higher Costs NY Times / Damon Darlin

12/03 Wall Street need not embark on a race to the bottom FT / Jeffrey Garten UK interest rate pause to shift focus to pre-Budget report FT / Chris Flood The waning dollar and a not-so-brave new world FT / John Plender Traders on edge ahead of market open FT U.S. consumers flocking to Wal-Mart Reuters / Nichola Groom Everyones Favorite Whipping Boy (the dollar) Takes Center Stage Clif Droke Market Analysis via Safehaven / Clif Droke Feeding the Chinese Dragon Dollar Daze via Safehaven / Mike Hewitt U.S. retail gas prices continue to rise AP via NJ Post The Age Of Financial Ruin Has Begun In Earnest Prospering Bear via Safehaven / Jan Allen Millions of Americans have second, third jobs Kansas City Star / Su Bacon Unemployment Rate Edged Up in November: U.S. Economy Preview Bloomberg / Vince Golle 12 days of shopping rises 3.1% this year AP via Houston Chronicle Market Eyes Jobless, Factory Order News AP via Washington Post / Tim Paradis Fannie, Freddie won't budge: $417,000 is still the limit LA Times / Lew Sichelman Illegal immigrants get legal mortgages Seattle Times via St. Louis Post Dispatch / Lorent Turnbull Wall Street kicks off December in less than festive fashion Pittsburgh Tribune Review / Gregory M. Drahuschak Hey Russia, leave U.S. Steel alone Pittsburgh Tribune Review / Jack Markowitz Don’t let changes in tax code surprise you come April 16 Kansas City Star / Gene Meyer New life for older airplanes Chicago Tribune / Julie Johnsson Korea: Vulnerable miracle LA Times / Peter Pae Dollar likely to keep falling - with luck Philadelphia Inquirer / Andrew Cassel Boon for Americans' foreign stocks Philadelphia Inquirer / Jeff Brown Do you want to become a member? Newsday / Susan Harrigan Beat the Clock (and Get a Double Bonus) NY Times / Andrew Ross Sorkin Health-savings accounts appealing, but not for all Chicago Tribune / Janet Kidd Stewart EU: No pause, please: The word on Europe's interest rate increases Taipei Times / Melvyn Krauss What fund companies could give shareholders this season Marketwatch / Chuck Jaffe Past Losses a Plus for Large-Growth Funds Wall Street Journal / Jaclyne Badal It's Time, Not Timing Wall Street Journal / Jonathan Burton How the Pros Tell If a Stock Is a Bargain Wall Street Journal / Gregory Zuckerman Seeking Clarity on Inflation NY Times / Conrad De Aenlle The long, unwinding road to a dollar adjustment Independent / Bill Robinson Plunging dollar will set world markets reeling Guardian – Observer / Heather Stewart UK: Faith Archer explores how British investors can benefit from the weak dollar Telegraph Tracking the Smartest Money Barron’s via Marketwatch / Andrew Barry When Wall St. Looks Like Pamplona, Sound an Alarm Marketwatch via NY Times / Mark Hulbert Blowing the Whistle on Big Oil NY Times / Edmund L. Andrews Uncle Sam flexes his muscles - and big banks quiver Independent / Andrew Murray More Farmers Seek Subsidies as U.S. Eats Imported Produce NY Times / Alexei Barrionuevo UK: Just a little friendly advice, Mr Brown... Guardian – Observer / Heather Stewart Investing in world economy isn't so simple Chicago Tribune / Gail MarksJarvis

12/04 Bond-fund managers differ with Fed's cautious tone Marketwatch / Murray Coleman Don’t Follow the Yellow Brick Road National Review / Jerry Bowyer Debunking Krugman’s Recession National Review / Larry Kudlow Betting against Bernanke’s words $ FT / John Authers US online help-wanted ads drop in November –report Reuters Changing the Fed Call Morgan Stanley / Richard Berner Moskow says Fed must be vigilant on inflation Marketwatch / Tamawa Kadoya Review and Preview Morgan Stanley / Ted Wieseman Wobbling, not collapsing The Economist Dollar starts the week higher Marketwatch / Wanfeng Zhou Is this a USD Story or a EUR Story? Morgan Stanley / Stephen L. Jen Stocks jump on mergers, falling oil CNN / Alexandra Twin Stocks Spring Higher In Morning Trade Investors Business Daily / Vincent Mao Don’t blame economy for Wal-Mart's slow holiday season AP via Kansas City Star / Rachel Beck Sharply lower crude oil propelling airline sector Marketwatch / Padraic Cassidy McDonald's sets sights on Asia Chicago Sun Times / Cheryl V. Jackson Notes On The News: The Dollar's Dog Days Forbes / Paul Maidment Bolton to leave as US ambassador to UN Reuters via FT ChinaGoes for Quality Morgan Stanley / Stephen S. Roach India's blossoming economy The Economist EU: Peeping Through 2007 Uncertainties Into 2008 Morgan Stanley / Eric Chaney Morgan Stanley Buys Hedge Fund Brookville Capital Bloomberg / Christine Harper Bank of New York, Mellon to merge, combined co valued at 43 bln usd AFX via Forbes U.S. October pending home sales index falls 1.7 pct Reuters Bank of New York to buy Mellon for $16.5B Reuters via CNN PayPal's Thiel Scores 230 Percent Gain With Soros-Style Fund Bloomberg / Deepak Gopinath PIMCO, TCW Group bond managers eye CDOs for growth Reuters / Walden Siew Fed's Moskow says must stay vigilant on inflation Reuters Federal Reserve Events Reuters Monday’s Stocktiming.com Analysis Stocktiming.com / Marty Chenard Santa has left Wall Street CNN / Alexandra Twin In Tough Times, a Redesigned Journal NY Times / Katharine Q. Seelye Crude futures fall as much as 1% in early trading Marketwatch / Myra P. Saefong Dollar starts the week higher Marketwatch / Wanfeng Zhou Dessauer doubts dollar Marketwatch / Peter Brimelow Who's Afraid of a Higher Minimum Wage? Washington Post / Michael S. Rosenwald Rolling off more presses: reports on 'social responsibility' Christian Science Monitor ECB May Raise Rate to 3.5%, Prepare Ground for Further Increase Bloomberg / John Fraher The Federal Reserve’s inflation error Brookes News / Gerard Jackson Week Will See $9.9B Of Volume Bond Buyer / Michael Scarchilli and Matthew Posner Is the US economy recession proof? Brookes News / Dr Frank Shostak Forget shopping, this could turn into a crash Guardian / Larry Elliott Dollar Rebounds on Speculation Traders to Pare Bets on Decline Bloomberg / Kosuke Goto and Ron Harui Yuan Advances to Highest Since End of Dollar Link in July 2005 Bloomberg / Christina Soon Global Expansion Threatened by Vehicle, Phone Glut Bloomberg / Rich Miller and Joe Richter EU: Persistent dollar doldrums could weigh heavily on Europe Independent / Stephen King UK: Holding interest rates at 5% 'dead cert' despite inflation Scotsman / Alistair Mcarthur UK: Brown condemned for 'failures' Scotsman / Alistair Mcarthur Treasury Investors Ignore Fed as Bonds Rally Most in Four Years Bloomberg / Michael McDonald Gold May Rise for Third Week as Dollar Slide Spurs Metal Demand Bloomberg / Choy Leng Yeong

12/05 Bank of Canada keeps target for the overnight rate at 4 1/4 per cent Bank of Canada Congress is quitting for the year, leaving its main job undone McClatchy / Steven Thomma A Mixed Bag of Economic Data Business Week via MSNBC Companies raise party spending Newsday / Carrie Mason-Draffen The Small Street Journal The Small Street Journal Fed needs to prepare for the unexpected London Times / Gerard Baker CO: Mortgage bank abruptly closes Denver Post / Greg Griffin AMT relief on the way? Marketwatch / Thomas Kostigen House nears vote on wide-ranging trade bill Reuters via Washington Post / Doug Palmer Stocks Rise Again; Volume Perks Up Investors Business Daily / Vincent Mao Aftershocks: The Mellon Financial -- Bank of New York merger Pittsburgh Post Gazette / Dan Fitzpatrick Mich. yet to feel force of cutbacks Detroit News / Louis Aguilar Irrational Exuberance' May Now Be More Rational Bloomberg / Daniel Hauc Tracking Productivity in Real Time Federal Reserve Bank of New York Monthly Mutual Fund Report pdf Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Bank of Canada leaves interest rates alone Globe and Mail / Tavia Grant The triumph of small-caps $ FT / John Authers The New Dot-Economy Washington Post / Alan Sipress Steep conditions set for NYSE-Euronext deal $ FT / Norma Cohen Wells Fargo buying more 'sub-prime' mortgages LA Times / E. Scott Reckard US Housing $ FT / Lex Chinese gold consumption to grow 17% this year: report AP via Globe and Mail A Second Departure Near the Top of Goldman NY Times / Jenny Anderson Draft interagency notice of proposed rulemaking on Basel IA Federal Reserve Board Monetary Inflation Is the Problem Lew Rockwell / Ron Paul Credit derivatives: Toxic or magic? Reuters / David Wigan US SWAPS-Spreads mixed amid conflicting data Reuters T-bill rates lowest in two months AP via St. Paul Pioneer Press S&P ends at 6-year high CNN / Alexandra Twin RPT-ABC/WashPost US Consumer Comfort Index drops to -1 Reuters The "Carry" Trade in U.S. Housing Looks to be Over Northern Trust via Safehaven / Paul Kariel The Drifting Dollar Daily Standard / Irwin Stelzer More foreign investment in U.S. airlines put on hold Washington Times / Sean Lengell Oil prices rise on weather, OPEC worries AP via NJ Post Home builders see bottom of housing slump CNN / Les Christie and Chris Isidore US stocks up on ISM services index, inflation data Reuters / Caroline Valetkevitch Tuesday’s Stocktiming.com Analysis Stocktiming.com / Marty Chenard US economy looks set for ‘soft landing’ FT / Eoin Callan Service sector shows surprising growth Reuters via CNN U.S. Economy: Service Industry Growth Unexpectedly Accelerates Bloomberg / Bob Willis and Joe Richter Consumers seem to be waiting for holiday bargains AP via Houston Chronicle Junk-Bond Bears, Bulls Swap Sides After Market Rally Bloomberg / Caroline Salas Richest 2% own 'half the wealth' BBC News / Andrew Walker IRS removes refund loan solicitations from e-filing programs AP via Silicon Valley Treasuries barely move on labor costs revisions Reuters / Pedro Nicolaci da Costa Productivity up less than forecast CNN U.S. Retailers' Sales Rose 3.1% Last Week, Group Says Bloomberg / Jennifer Sudick Derivative traders see Nov US payrolls at 82,000 Reuters Health costs rise faster than pay Denver Post / Will Shanley Hefty Corporate Bankruptcy Jump Seen CFO.com / Stephen Taub Late payments on high-risk loans jump Reuters via CNN Oil Prices Rise on Weather, OPEC Worries AP via Forbes State of uncertainty: Mellon move a boon . . . for now Boston Herald / Jay Fitzgerald Denver-area foreclosures set record Rocky Mountain News / John Rebchook Yen Rises to Four-Month High; BOJ's Mizuno Signals Higher Rates Bloomberg / Dan Kruger and Kabir Chibber Party’s Over! Jeffries Fines $10M NY Post / Roddy Boyd Bank of America expands free stock trading CNN Index-Fund Pioneer Bogle Sees Trouble in Paradise Bloomberg / Chet Currier

12/06 Junk-bond managers maintain high hopes Marketwatch / Murray Coleman What's the Fed up to when Yield Curves "De-Invert"? Northern Trust via Safehaven / Paul Kasriel Survey: Fewer affordable homes available USA Today / Haya El Nasser Oil prices rise slightly in Asia AP via Houston Chronicle NY: In one month, cost of fill-up goes way up Newsday / Tom Incantalupo Where Is the Economy Headed? Washington Post / Nell Henderson Amaranth's Slide Began With Offer to Keep Star Trader Bloomberg / Katherine Burton and Jenny Strasburg NV: Inflation fears start to ease Las Vegas Review Journal / Hubble Smith European Central Bank walks interest rate tightrope IHT / Carter Dougherty U.S. mortgage rates unchanged on Wednesday – BestInfo Reuters Ford Raises Borrowing Capacity to $21.5B AP via Forbes / Tom Krisher Ford Boosts Convertible Bond Sale to $4.5 Billion Bloomberg / Mark Pittman and Elizabeth Hester Friday's Employment Report: Reaction May Be Telling Ciovacco via Safehaven / Chris Ciovacco Zero Visibility Best Minds via Safehaven / Doug Wafefield Treasurys End Lower After Data Shows Strong Jobs Growth Smartmoney.com / Leslie Wines Treasuries retreat on mortgage data, jobs f'cast Reuters / Ellen Freilich Bonds slip after robust Nov. jobs report AP via Beaufort Gazette Cautious Fed adopts wait-and-see policy FT / Krishna Guha Gold extends retreat as dollar gains Marketwatch / Myra P. Saefong Dow closes down 22, Nasdaq closes down 7 AP via St. Petersburg Times / Joe Bel Bruno Analyst downgrade sparks 5% Oracle drop San Jose Business Journal Fannie Mae erases $6.3 billion in profit AP via St. Petersburg Times / Marcy Gordon Home Depot finds $200M in option expense AP via St. Petersburg Times / Harry R. Weber PA: Mellon move is warning to city Pittsburgh Tribune Review / Jack Markowitz The Real Stakes in the Hedge Fund Hearings Business Week via MSNBC / Steve Rosenbush The last tax-free Christmas online? Forbes via MSNBC / Janet Novack On ECB and euro $ FT / John Authers UK: Brown's slow progress Guardian / William Keegan Emerging debt-Risk spreads tighten in slow market Reuters Fixed-Income Electronic Trading Accelerating; Trading Volumes Up over Last Year Bond Market Association Why data are full of surprises Philadelphia Inquirer / Andrew Cassel U.S. home loan demand rises as refinancing surges Reuters / Julie Haviv Senate Raises Heat on Funds in Panel Grilling NY Post / Paul Tharp Lehman's Fuld to Get $186 Million Over Next 10 Years Bloomberg / Yalman Onaran Hedge Jou$t NY Post / Roddy Boyd Loans on tax returns dropped IRS eliminates solicitation from e-filing programs AP via Seattle Post Intelligencer / Jim Abramsthe Odds of an early-2007 rate cut decline Marketwatch / Tomi Kilgore Dollar Depreciates in November Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta MI: The foreclosure capital of the U.S. MSN World stocks surge in 2006, trend likely to continue in 2007 AFX via Forbes Sales of hybrid vehicles falling with gas prices San Francisco Chronicle via Seattle Post Intelligencer / Kathleen Pendersan Milton's Inner Fire Tech Central Station / Russell Roberts Federal Reserve Events Reuters Reports hint Fed could ease inflation battle AP via Cincinnati Enquirer / Martin Crutsinger Falling Dollar, Lingering Greenspan Make Life Tough for Bernanke SeekingAlpha / Tim Iacono Fed in holding pattern on mixed signals Globe and Mail / Barbara McKenna US private sector adds 158,000 jobs in Nov-survey Reuters The missing pay hikes CNN / Chris Isidore Bulls head back to the barn CNN Wednesday’s Stocktiming.com Analysis Stocktiming.com / Marty Chenard Medicare Exacts Tax Penalty on Muni Bond Investors Bloomberg / Joe Mysak Mortgage applications rise as rates tumble CNN Rates Fall and Mortgage Applications Rise In Latest Survey Mortgage Bankers Association Royal Bank of Scotland 2006 Profit to Rise on Loans Bloomberg / Jon Menon and Ben Livesey British economic growth forecast raised AP via NJ Post / Jane Wardell UK's Brown says UK economy will grow 2.75 pct in 2006 AFX via Forbes China Jan-Nov trade surplus at 157 bln usd – Xinhua AFX via Forbes Oil prices rise in Asian trading AP via NJ Post MSRB Head Troubled by Two Probes Bond Buyer / Alison L. McConnell Housing market, Fed policy, deficit spur debate over economy in ’07 The Hill / Oxford Analytica Subprime Loans Going From Boon to Housing Bane NY Times / Vikas Bajaj and Ron Nixon What Statistics on Home Sales Aren’t Saying NY Times / David Leonhardt Study Finds Wealth Inequality Is Widening Worldwide NY Times / Eduardo Porter Asian Currencies: South Korean Won Climbs; Ringgit, Baht Drop Bloomberg / Jake Lee and Yumi Teso The sliding dollar: both boon and bane Christian Science Monitor / Mark Trumbull Australian Central Bank Keeps Rate Unchanged at 6.25% Bloomberg / Hans van Leeuwen and Gemma Daley Asia's Economic Future Up in the Air, Literally Bloomberg / William Pesek

12/07

Dow 16,000 in '07 The Street via Fiend’s SuperBear Page / James Altucher

How Retail Therapy Can Help The Economy NY Post / John Crudele

Ageing bull The Economist

A European values debate The Economist

UK: Gordon's manifest The Economist

U.S. nonfinancial debt rises 6.7 pct in 3rd qtr Reuters

The Fed that cried wolf CNN / Paul R. La Monica

US tech stocks fall on worries about jobs data Reuters

Today's liquidity might translate to overconfidence Chicago Tribune / Bill Barnhart

Steady jobless numbers point to ‘soft landing’ FT / Eoin Callan

Gold futures fall to a two-week low Marketwatch / Myra P. Saefong

Cash-Strapped Homeowners Can't Make Payments ABC News / Eric Noe

Mortgage rates near 2006 low CNN

KC becoming transportation hub Kansas City Star / Kevin Collison

EU: Rates up, again The Economist

U.S. Criminal Probe Rattles $2 Trillion Municipal Bond Market Bloomberg / William Selway and Martin Z. Braun

The Dark Side of Munis Bond Buyer / Lynn Hume

Bernanke May Clash With Democratic Congress on Wages, Inflation Bloomberg / Scott Lanman

Dow jumps near record territory CNN

Thursday’s Stocktiming.com Analysis Stocktiming.com / Marty Chenard

Home Depot Probe Uncovers 19 Years of Options Backdating Bloomberg / Mark Clothier

U.S initial claims retreat after big spike Marketwatch / Greg Robb

ECB says will monitor inflation risks 'very closely' Marketwatch / Steve Goldstein

Federal Reserve Events Reuters

U.S. jobless claims fell 34,000 last week Reuters

CEOs Dumping Company Shares CFO.com / Stephen Taub

To harvest tax losses or not to harvest? Philadelphia Inquirer / Jeff Brown

Copper dips after strong gains, aluminum falls after options expiry AFX via Forbes

Left holding the bond Boston Globe / Steven Syre

CA: Local home builders battle the big boys Sacramento Bee / Jim Wasserman

ECB's Trichet Says Rates Still `Low' After Increase Bloomberg / Simone Meier