Wednesday morning links

TOP STORIES
• EU presidency: US economic plans 'a way to hell' - AP
• Fed to Start Purchasing Treasuries to Unfreeze Credit - Bloomberg
• Japan Exports Drop Record 49% as Global Slump Deepens - Bloomberg
• China not fooling in call for review of dollar's status - MarketWatch
• Top Hedge Fund Managers Do Well in a Down Year - NY Times
• Bernstein, Rosenberg Plan to Leave Bank of America - Bloomberg
• N.Y. governor fires 8,900 state workers - CNN/Money
• Geithner vs. Schiff: A Thought Bridge Between Two Wrongs - Seeking Alpha

MARKETS/INVESTING
• Golds edges up, ETF hits another record - Reuters
• Oil dips on signs of growing inventories - AP
• Central banks sit on their bullion reserves - MarketWatch
• Don't wait to inflation-proof your portfolio - Fortune
• Treasury Notes Fall for Before Five-Year Auction - Bloomberg
• Your retirement might not be doomed - MSN Money

ECONOMY
• U.S. Durable Goods Orders Unexpectedly Jumped 3.4% - Bloomberg
• Struggling restaurant chains try cheap eats to lure diners - USA Today
• California seen struggling through this year - Reuters
• 2009 will be hard, recovery in 2010 - report - CNN/Money
• Q4 Mortgage Equity Extraction Strongly Negative - Calculated Risk

INTERNATIONAL
• Mervyn King warns Gordon Brown to stop spending - TimesOnline
• Japan's exports suffer record plunge - MarketWatch
• U.K. Gilts Slump After First ‘Failed’ Bond Auction Since 1995 - Bloomberg
• Anti-Dollar Contagion Gains Pace - Huffington Post
• Cabinet Toppled as Czechs Ready for Recession, Obama - Bloomberg
• German business-climate gauge tumbles in March - MarketWatch
• Thoughts on the switch from dollars as reserve currency - Credit Writedowns
• Empty cargo ships wait out the economy in Philippine ports - LA Times

HOUSING
• Fannie/Freddie numbers show prices and trends for home sales - LA Times
• Even renters who are paid up are getting kicked out - CSM
• Home Prices Had Smallest Drop in 5 Months in January - Bloomberg
• Spike in existing home sales mostly fueled by foreclosures - BlownMortgage

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
• Geithner, Bernanke Seek to Plug Gaps in Finance Rules - Bloomberg
• Surreptitiously squeezing the tax payer - FT Mavercon
• Regional Banks Are the Future - WSJ Economics Blog
• Dr. Doom Finds Promise in Obama’s Toxic-Asset Plan - NY Times

INTERESTING
• Facing layoffs, staff holds boss hostage - CNN/Money
• The economy melts down, and stand-up comics joke - LA Times
• Former RBS chief's home attacked by vandals - MarketWatch

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