Wednesday morning links

TOP STORIES
China Property Prices Jump, Bubble Risk Rises - Bloomberg
A Consumer Bill Gives Exemption on Payday Loans - NY Times
Fed to linger in agency MBS market after exit - Reuters
After a winning year, fund investors still wary of stocks - MarketWatch
Obama Defies Pessimists as Rising Economy Converges With Stocks - Bloomberg
BofA ending overdraft fees on debit cards - Reuters
Cash for Clunkers: Better than we thought - CNN/Money
U.S. Sales Tax Rates Hit Record High - Forbes
Defaulted Loans May Haunt Seniors - WSJ

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MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil rises to near $82 on surging trade in China - Today
Gold firms as euro zone fiscal concerns linger - Reuters
Shares of government-backed companies jump - MarketWatch
Gold-Silver Ratio Slumps to Six-Week Low as Risk Appetite Grows - Bloomberg
Six Theories On Why the Stock Market Has Rallied - Washington's Blog
OPEC raises 2010 oil demand forecast - AP

ECONOMY
Economists trim 2011 U.S. growth forecast - Reuters
What credit-card payoff? Consumers are dumping debt - MarketWatch
Are unemployment benefits no longer temporary? - Washington Post
Young Adults Fret Over Jobs, Haven’t Lost Hope - WSJ
A 4% inflation target? - voxeu

INTERNATIONAL
China February exports jump 45.7 percent - AP
Greek Crisis Is Over, Rest of Region Safe, Prodi Says - Bloomberg
Canadian dollar to reach parity by summer: CIBC - Globe and Mail
Dollar Bond Sales Surge in Asia as Borrowers Tap New Investors - Bloomberg
Fitch warns Britain and questions Greek rescue as sovereign risks grow - Telegraph
China May Start Raising Interest Rates as Prices Gain - Bloomberg
BOE's Adam Posen dismisses fears of a sterling crisis - Telegraph
Fears of a Greek bank run - Fortune

REAL ESTATE
Foreclosure Sales Could Be Higher in Three Years - WSJ
Appraisers: Obama plan encourages fraud - O.C. Register
Principal Writedowns and the Fake Stress Test - Rortybomb
Family charged in $16 million real estate fraud - O.C. Register

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
As Fed Eases Loan Aid, Policy Challenges Arise - NY Times
Fed’s ‘Extended Period’ Rate Pledge Criticized by Some on FOMC - Bloomberg
Senate financial bill appears likely to keep Fed as regulator of big banks - Washington Post
US could face debt crisis over Fed decision to halt MBS purchases - Risk.net

INTERESTING
What If Everybody in Canada Flushed At Once? - Pat's Papers
Give Congress the Boot to Save Our Country - Baum, Bloomberg
Liz Cheney Would Call John Adams a Terrorists’ Pal - Woolner, Bloomberg
The great iPad death watch - Fortune

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