Thursday morning links

TOP STORIES
Greek Credit Rating Cut by S&P on Budget - Bloomberg
Citigroup sells shares at $3.15, U.S. delays sale - Reuters
4 Big Mortgage Backers Swim in Ocean of Debt - NY Times
Hoffa: Goldman Sachs Is Driving Trucker YRC Into Bankruptcy - Bloomberg
California debt default 'increasingly likely,' Cal Lutheran economist says - LA Times
Wamu Asks to Probe Fed Over Collapse - NY Times
U.S. House approves $155 billion jobs bill - Reuters
Obama vs. the Banks - WSJ

Get these links delivered to your inbox every day.

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil slips to near $72 as traders eye crude demand - AP
Gold slides 2 percent as Fed comments lift dollar - Reuters
Richard Bernstein's 10 Predictions For 2010 - Business Insider
Fed, Greek worries send dollar rallying - MarketWatch
The Gold Bubble and the Gold Bugs - Project Syncicate
Seven Looming Financial Bubbles - Forbes

ECONOMY
New jobless claims rise unexpectedly - AP
Consumer Electronics Light Up the Holiday Season - Time
Sign of the times: Hundreds line up for Olive Garden jobs - KTVZ.com
Consumers still have more than half their holiday shopping to do, survey says - LA Times
Americans Most Pessimistic They've Been Since January - CNBC
Greenspan Says Stock Rally Means Lower Stimulus Need - Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL
Greek tragedy strikes Eurozone - IBTimes
Nikkei slips from 7-week highs, big banks fall - Reuters
Dubai $10bn help from Abu Dhabi 'was loan, not handout' - BBC
ECB Said to Start Consulting Banks, Investors on Collateral - Bloomberg
Debt disaster fears rumble from Athens to London - MarketWatch
Regulator cautions banks on bad loans - China Daily
Irish Republic out of recession as GDP grows - BBC
Cheques to disappear within eight years - TimesOnline
UK retail sales in surprise decline - Telegraph

REAL ESTATE
Citigroup to suspend foreclosures for 30 days - USA Today
Fewer Home Buyers Willing To Take Chance on Foreclosures - CNBC
Moody's: Outlook Dims for the Housing Market’s High End - WSJ
More foreclosures on horizon, say analysts - Las Vegas Review Journal

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Q&A: Sen. Merkley on Bernanke Confirmation Vote - WSJ Economics
Ron Paul Reacts to Bernanke as TIME Person of the Year - RonPaul.com
Person of the Year, My Foot! Bernanke "Failed Miserably" - Tech Ticker
McCain Is Leaning Against Voting to Confirm Bernanke - WSJ Economics

INTERESTING
Boy Scout, 11, returns purse with nearly $2,000 - AP
Tiger Woods Dubai Golf Course moving ahead - Examiner
Blue Shield of California gets tough over late payments - LA Times
High life on the high seas - CNN/Money

###