Friday morning links

TOP STORIES
U.S. Helps Lehman Go Up for Sale - Washington Post
Alt-A Mortgages Next Risk for Housing Market as Defaults Surge - Bloomberg
Regulators say speculators' role uncertain in oil prices - Reuters
Speculation, manipulation drive commodity prices - Commodity Online
WaMu cut to "junk," sees $4.5 billion loss reserve - Reuters
Ike storms toward Texas coast - MarketWatch
Poole Says Fed Shouldn't Give Funding to Any Lehman Agreement - Bloomberg
Don't Rule Out Another Fed Rate Cut This Year - CNBC

MARKETS/INVESTING
OPEC's math is murky but its mistake is not - MarketWatch
Precious metals bounce back as dollar retreats - Reuters
Contrite Sprott blames U.S. actions - Globe & Mail
Ten ways for you to acquire the Midas touch - TimesOnline
USDA cuts estimates for corn, soybean harvests - AP
The problem with a strong dollar - MSN Money

ECONOMY
Retail sales unexpectedly drop in August - AP
U.S. Producer Prices Fall 0.9% in August; Core Rate Rises 0.2% - Bloomberg
McCain, Obama Couldn't Pass FDR's Econ 101 Class: Susan Antilla - Bloomberg
The Economy: Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios - BusinessWeek

HOUSING
Foreclosure filings increase, but at slower rate - AP
Democrats Push for Foreclosure Freeze at Fannie, Freddie - Housing Wire
30-year mortgages dip to lowest level since April - AP

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Bernanke May Be Wrong: Next Fed Rate Move Might Be Down, Not Up - Bloomberg
Feds bailed out China, not the US - MSN MOney
Financial stability will take a while, Kohn says - Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL
Chinese output weak but retail sales robust - Reuters
Bank of England cannot save mortgage market, warns Mervyn King - Telegraph
Japan reports economy shrank 3 percent April-June - AP
Japan unveils economic boost plan - BBC
Indian Output Rises Before Higher Rates Impact Demand - Bloomberg

INTERESTING
Reverse Mortgage Co. Revamps Name, Brand - Housing Wire
Early Whales Had Legs - LiveScience