Friday morning links

TOP STORIES
• U.S. Said to Seek a Chrysler Plan for Bankruptcy - NY Times
• Banks May Struggle for Funds as Bad Assets Triple - Bloomberg
• U.S. pressured BofA to complete Merrill deal - Reuters
• Edgy Banks Start to Get Word Today on Stress Tests - NY Times
• The world economy: A glimmer of hope? - Economist
• Borrowing puts UK's AAA rating in danger after Budget 2009 - Telegraph
• HSBC’s Absolute Return Fund Buys Gold, Seeking to Diversify - Bloomberg
• Property in America: Commercial break - Economist

MARKETS/INVESTING
• Gold Rises as China Increases Reserves - Bloomberg
• U.S. first-quarter earnings exceed expectations - Reuters
• Central Bankers cannot prevail in war against gold - Mineweb
• Apple Powers Nasdaq 100 Performance - AP
• Gold miners could surprise on costs due to oil - Reuters
• Retest of March 9 low coming? - MarketWatch

ECONOMY
• U.S. durable goods orders fall 0.8 percent in March - Reuters
• Automakers teeter on verge of industry shutdown - USA Today
• U.S. Existing Home Sales Dropped More Than Forecast - Bloomberg
• Economic outlook remains bleak as world leaders gather - USA Today
• Geithner says downturn may be easing - Reuters

INTERNATIONAL
• Spain's jobless rate jumps to 17.4 percent - AP
• China gold reserves apparently doubled - MarketWatch
• Germany's slump risks 'explosive' mood, new banking crisis looms - Telegraph
• Analysts hike forecasts for China's economic growth - MarketWatch
• British economy: Sharpest decline since '79 - CNN/Money
• Britain after the budget: Hubris and nemesis - Economist
• Economics focus: Not quite so SAFE - Economist
• Dubai: A new world - Economist

HOUSING
• Outlook for Home Prices Clouded by Spat Over Historical Trends - WSJ
• So. Florida remains conflicted: Sales soaring, but prices plunging - Sun Sentinel
• Foreclosures Huff, Puff, and Blow Housing Market Down - Motley Fool
• Buttonwood: Down and out - Economist

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
• Fed reports huge balance sheet jump - CNN/Money
• Bernanke and Paulson look foolish if Lewis is right - MarketWatch
• Fed data shows big losses on Bear Stearns deal - Reuters
• Tim Geithner: Baptism of fire - Economist

INTERESTING
• Countrywide name to vanish from U.S. - Trading Markets
• Elton John’s Wealth Drops 26% in Crisis - Bloomberg
• How Bernie did it - CNN/Money

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