Wednesday morning links

TOP STORIES
Lehman plans asset sales, reports huge 3Q loss - AP
Opec cuts output to keep oil above $100 - Guardian
Fed Loans May Give Lehman Breathing Room Bear Lacked - Bloomberg
IEA lowers oil demand forecasts for 2008, 2009 - MarketWatch
Pimco fund makes $1.7 billion in a day after bailout - OC Register

MARKETS
Oil barely budges as traders parse OPEC decision - AP
OPEC is behind the curve - MarketWatch
Gold may run out of steam at $1000 - Telegraph

ECONOMY
Consumer Spending in U.S. to Stall, Hurting Growth - Bloomberg
Economic Breakdown: Result of Moral Breakdown? - The Trumpet
Consumer borrowing slows to weakest in 7 months - AP

HOUSING
Housing bust is boom for ‘board-up’ specialists - MSN Money
Fannie Mae's Demise Rooted in the Swinging '60s - Bloomberg
Freddie, Fannie Scam Hidden in Broad Daylight - Bloomberg

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Bernanke to testify to Congress on Sept. 24 - MarketWatch
Paulson Sends Message to Freddie, Fannie Employees: Don't Leave - Bloomberg
Budget outlook worsens on war, economy - MarketWatch

INTERNATIONAL
Price of auctioned homes falls 25% in a year - TimesOnline
Trichet Says ECB `Resolute' in Fighting Inflation - Bloomberg
Japan wholesale prices rise 7.2 percent in August - AP
China's CPI falls to 4.9% on softer consumption - MarketWatch
EU Slashes Growth Forecasts for 2008 - NY Times
U.K. Economy Contracts, Lurches Toward a Recession - Bloomberg

INTERESTING
Why We Are All Insane - LiveScience
Airline seeks bald men as walking billboards - AP