Thursday morning links

TOP STORIES
China’s GDP Growth Slowed to 6.8% in Fourth Quarter - Bloomberg
BoJ holds rates unchanged; sees deflation ahead - MarketWatch
Mexico 2008 oil output, exports lowest since 1995 - Guardian
You Peaked, Babe - Gregor.us
The perils of plunging oil prices - MarketWatch
United Airlines to cut 1,000 jobs - CNN/Money
Intel to shut sites and cut up to 6,000 jobs - Reuters
Microsoft to slash 5,000 jobs, misses on 2Q profit - AP
U.S. and UK on brink of debt disaster - Reuters

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil Falls Before Report Expected to Show U.S. Stockpile Gain - Bloomberg
Gold eases but physical buying supports - Reuters
Worst Dow Drop Since Election Meant Rally in ’33 - Bloomberg
Small investors shun big brokers to do it themselves - Reuters
Gold to Gain Through 2012, Morgan Stanley Forecasts - Bloomberg
How Contango Affects Crude Oil ETF's and ETN's (USO, OIL, DBO) - Bloomberg
U.S. Dollar Strength and Implications for Gold - Seeking Alpha

ECONOMY
New jobless claims rise more than expected to 589K - AP
Housing starts plunge to another record low - MarketWatch
Builders' confidence hits another low - MarketWatch
Obama administration prepares sweeping strategy to repair the economy - LA Times
A stimulus we can believe in - Models & Agents
Jump in Food Prices Suggests Inflation is Higher Than Gov't Says - Money Morning
Food banks: 30% rise in needy - CNN/Money

INTERNATIONAL
Asian economic woe grows as China slows and Japanese exports plunge - Telegraph
BOJ Cuts Forecasts, Considers Buying Corporate Bonds - Bloomberg
Is Gold and the Balance of Power Shifting from the West to the East? - Jesse's Cafe
Sony expects $3 billion loss - International Herald Tribune
Same problems in the USA choke the British economy - USA Today
Asian Central Banks to Seek Competitive Devaluation, RBS Says - Bloomberg
How to say ‘decoupling’ in Chinese and Japanese: Don’t - FT Alphaville
Government prevented from taking Barclays stake by deal with Abu Dhabi - TimesOnline
South Korean Economy Shrinks More-Than-Expected 5.6% - Bloomberg

HOUSING
Tough workouts - CNN/Money
2008 was year home buyers finally got off fence - Sacramento Bee
Falling prices push homes sales up - Ventura County Star
Foreclosure Oncology: Separating Facts From Fixins - Your Mortgage or Your Life
Bargain hunting dominates Bay Area home sales in December - DataQuick
Mortgage default notices up 121% over year ago - Signs on San Diego

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Financial Firms Need $1 Trillion More in Equity, Rajpal Says - Bloomberg
Bailouts: catching a falling knife - Credit Writedowns
China Moves to Shorter Maturity Treasuries Out of Bond Bubble Worries - Naked Capitalism
Paulson's next gig - Fortune
Americans ‘Get’ TARP, They Just Can’t Stand It - Bloomberg
By Switching Their Charters, Banks Skirt Supervision - Washington Post

INTERESTING
Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble - AP
The Shadow Knows — It’s the Google Street View Car - ZillowBlog
Special zones urged for people who sleep in RVs, cars in Venice - LA Times
The Hummers Are Back - The Truth About Mortgage