Monday morning links

TOP STORIES
Japan economy shrinks at fastest rate in 35 years - AP
G7 accused of being 'asleep at the wheel' - Telegraph
The Case for Nationalizing the Entire Economy - Time
GM Pushes Labor, Creditors as It Readies Aid Request - Bloomberg
California Lawmakers Fail to Pass Budget Package by One Vote - Bloomberg
Politically, Stimulus Battle Has Just Begun - Washington Post
Polarized Venezuela cheers, deplores Chavez win - Reuters
India gold demand plunges as prices skyrocket - Commodity Online

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil steady amid OPEC talk of more output cuts - AP
Gold steady, supported by ETF buying - Reuters
Asian markets fall as Japan's recession deepens - AP
‘No gold imports so far in February’ - Daily Times
Big demand for physical silver & gold - Commodity Online
Crude oil is getting cheaper — so why isn't gas? - AP

ECONOMY
No sign of bottom yet in worst-hit sectors - MarketWatch
As Credit Dries Up, More Owners Seek Microloans - BusinessWeek
Deere in the crosshairs as recession hits farmers - Reuters
White House dampens stimulus expectations - Reuters
Retailers' loss of revenue hammers city and state budgets - USA Today
KFC to cook up 9,000 jobs - AP

INTERNATIONAL
Russian output plummets further - BBC
German economy may recover by fall - Reuters
ECB's Stark cautions against aggressive rate cuts - Reuters
G-7 Says ‘Severe’ Downturn to Persist- - Bloomberg
Japan economy shrinks at fastest pace in 35 years - AP
China's image improves as world economy slumps - IHT
Brown under siege as Congress caps bankers' bonuses - Guardian
Dying cheques mark changing times - BBC

HOUSING
Housing market struggles continue - BlueRidgeNow
Stable home prices needed for recovery - APP.com
How much house does $500,000 buy? - OC Register
San Diego Drowning - Blown Mortgage

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Michael Moore Wants Wall Street Scuttlebutt - DealBook
Treasury's strategy: 'What elephant?' - MSN Money
Obama Nixes ‘Car Czar’; Geithner, Summers to Lead - Bloomberg
Decade at Bernie’s - NY Times

INTERESTING
Sin City worries its image hurts business travel - SF Gate
Cult Leaders Make Lousy Presidents - Canada Free Press

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