Tuesday morning links

TOP STORIES
At Freddie Mac, Chief Discarded Warning Signs - NY Times
Repel the calls to contain competitive markets - Financial Times
The law catches up to oil - MarketWatch
NY Times picks up the prime meme, but misses the point - Housing Wire
Money funds quietly get help to maintain share price - USA Today

MARKETS
Oil Falls to $118 as Storm Danger Abates, Demand Concern Grows - Bloomberg
Gold slips 1.5 pct in commodities sell-off - Reuters
Gasoline prices fall again - LA Times

ECONOMY
Does It Really Matter If We Call It a 'Recession'? - Seeking Alpha
US chain store sales rose 3.5 pct last week-Redbook - Reuters

HOUSING
Asking Home Prices Fall in July, While Inventory Growth Slows - Housing Wire
Delinquent US property loans rise in June-Moody's - Reuters
Fannie faces glut of unsold homes - Chicago Tribune

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Bernanke May Sound Tougher to Avert Fed Rebellion - Bloomberg
Greenspan warns governments may have to bail out more banks - AFP
No change expected in Fed interest rates - AP
Contrarians worry so few are paying attention to Fed meeting - MarketWatch

INTERNATIONAL
Morgan Stanley issues alert on Spanish banks - Telegraph
Data points to weaker UK economy - BBC
Northern Rock's losses climb to £600m as more borrowers fall into arrears - Guardian
Australia leaves rates unchanged at 7.25% - MarketWatch
Italy is no longer the sick man of Europe - Telegraph

INTERESTING
McCain campaigns at another sort of rally in Sturgis, S.D - LA Times
Schwarzenegger proposes temporary California sales-tax hike to close budget gap - LA Times