Thursday morning links

TOP STORIES
Official: Obama seeking tax on biggest banks - AP
Top regulators to face U.S. financial crisis panel - Reuters
Senate Aims for Bernanke Vote Before Fed Term Ends in January - Bloomberg
The Americans have honed the art of the financial crisis post-mortem - Telegraph
In Capitol Hill hearing, bankers remain torn on their role in crisis - Washington Post
California Rating Cut Shows $20 Billion Gap Lifts Bond Costs - Bloomberg
Pin the Tail on Blankfein Is a Game Nobody Wins - Reilly, Bloomberg
Experts say curb US debt or suffer a dollar crisis - Reuters

Get these links delivered to your inbox every day.

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil up to near $80 as traders eye rising equities - AP
Powerful incentives to invest in gold this year - GFMS - Mineweb
Investment demand beats gold jewellery sales - Commodity Online
CFTC to Propose New Limits on Energy Speculation to Curb Prices - Bloomberg
Global ETF assets shoot up 45% to $1 tn - Commodity Online
Forget Wind. Pickens Turns Focus to Gas. - NY Times

ECONOMY
Jobless Claims Increase by 11,000 - Bloomberg
U.S. Dec. retail sales decline 0.3% - MarketWatch
West registers faint economic gains - LA Times
Don't Like the Numbers? Change 'Em - Boskin, WSJ
Depression, WWII lessons for economic recovery? Sacrifice - USA Today

INTERNATIONAL
ECB Starts New Year with Rates Firmly on Hold - Reuters
India Wholesale-Price Inflation Accelerates to 7.31% - Bloomberg
Dubai: Piercing the Sky Amid a Deflating Economy - NY Times
China’s Overheating Economy Is ‘Major’ Risk, WEF Says - Bloomberg
Papandreou Vows EU10 Billion in Greek Deficit Cuts in EU Plan - Bloomberg
UK 'depression' ended in 2009, says economic think tank NIESR - Telegraph
Russia is World's Cheapest Stock Market: Strategist - CNBC
China moves to rein in lending, cool economy - AP

REAL ESTATE
U.S. 2009 foreclosures shatter record despite aid - Reuters
Housing market passes 'point of falling prices' - Press Enterprise
Merced County leads state in foreclosures, #6 in nation - Merced Star
5 Cities Where Homes Aren't Selling - Investopedia

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Dudley: Rates May Stay Low for as Long as Two Years - Bloomberg
Treasury needs plan for selling TARP assets: watchdog - Reuters
Fed Beige Book Says Economy Improved in 10 Districts - Bloomberg
House subpoenas Treasury Sec. Geithner's AIG e-mails, phone logs - AP

INTERESTING
Follow the Law, China Tells Internet Companies - NY Times
Men more evolved? Y chromosome study stirs debate - AP
Consumer chief urges parents to keep cheap jewelry away from kids - AP
Amtrak to add Wi-Fi to some trains free, for now - USA Today

###