Wednesday morning links

TOP STORIES
GM says it could fail in a matter of weeks - LA Times
Paulson debates next $350 billion in bailout: report - Reuters
Harvard’s Endowment Takes an $8 Billion Hit - NY Times
ADP monthly figures show largest private-sector job loss in seven years - MarketWatch
Pursuing U.S. Aid, G.M. Accepts Need for Drastic Cuts - NY Times
FDIC chief: Intervene on foreclosures - CNN/Money

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil Little Changed Near Three-Year Low Before U.S. Supply Data - Bloomberg
Gold eases on firm dollar ahead of data, rate cuts - Reuters
Investor Sues to Block Mortgage Modifications - BusinessWeek
Rich U.S. investors most bearish ever - survey - Reuters
The S&P's dividend yield now higher than the 10-year T-note's - MarketWatch
Shortage of Gold could push price to $10,000 - Commodity Online

ECONOMY
Productivity Rose More Than Forecast; Labor Costs Up - Bloomberg
Private sector sheds 250,000 jobs in November - Reuters
Deflation: Bargains abound, which could be a problem - USA Today
More people checking out the library to save money - LA Times

INTERNATIONAL
China to Shun West’s Finance Sector - NY Times
Eurozone retail sales slump 2.1% - BBC
UK services activity hits new low, calls mount for full-point rate cut - Telegraph
China, India Looking More `Third World' Again - Bloomberg
China’s Economy, in Need of Jump Start, Waits for Citizens’ Fists to Loosen - NY Times
Recession threat weighs on housing - Canadian Press
German auto industry says 2009 to be its worst year since 1990 - AP

HOUSING
Home prices hit '03 levels, spark sales - Desert Sun
Valley home prices drop for 18th straight month - KTAR.com
Mortgage applications surge by record amount - Reuters
Mortgage fraud incidents up 45% - CNN/Money

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Auditors fault Treasury policing of bailout funds - AP
Fed Extends Three Emergency Loan Programs to April - Bloomberg
The Neo-Alchemy of the Federal Reserve - Ron Paul, SafeHaven
Monetizing the Debt - Merck, SafeHaven

INTERESTING
Shanghai abuzz over possibility of a new Disneyland - LA Times
Somali Pirates to acquire Citigroup - Option Armageddon