Links: 2009-01-03

British interest rates may sink to lowest since 1694 – Telegraph

BBC NEWS | Romanian fear amid economic gloom

Russia: Energy enigma, gas theories abound – BBC News

Bloomberg.com: Oil Caps Biggest Weekly Gain Since 1986 on Geopolitical Concern

Fire dies under China’s once booming manufacturing industry – Times Online

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway suffers worst performance in 30 years with 32pc fall – Telegraph

FSA short-selling ban renewal | Business | guardian.co.uk

Chinese Factory Output, Employment Falls at Record Pace – Naked Capitalism

Baltic states face harsh economic hangover in 2009 – Telegraph

Is oil cheap only because of the recession? – Baltimore Sun

Q&A: Merrill Lynch Strategists on the ’09 Outlook for Stocks – Time “When Handed a Lehman…”

– Mark Thoma “Should We Fear a Trade Backlash?” – Mark Thoma

Low Mortgage Rates to Spur New Wave of Defaults – Barry Ritholtz

Seven-strong consortium to buy IndyMac for $14bn – Guardian

FiveThirtyEight.com: Politics Done Right: Franken Jumps Out to 225-Vote Lead on Strength of Absentee Ballots

The Importance of Accounting – James Kwak, RGE Monitor

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