Markets
Iranians Pile Into Stocks as Nuclear Detente Triggers 133% Rally – Bloomberg
JPMorgan Defies Biggest Cash Exodus to Beat Rivals: Muni Credit – Bloomberg
Nikkei Ends Above 16,000 First Time Since 2007; Lira Retreats – Bloomberg
Twitter Shares Soar to Record on Optimism for Mobile-Ad Growth – Bloomberg
Marc Faber’s three bold predictions for 2014
Treasury Yields Hit Three-Month Peak on Durable-Goods News – WSJ.com
Asia
Depth of Apparent BOJ Board Split Worth Watching – Real Time Economics – WSJ
“One member said the slowdown in the real GDP growth rate might not be temporary, but “could represent a downward shift in the trend,” the meeting summary showed. In addition, one member noted “unfavorable developments” in the GDP data, such as the build-up of inventory and a drop in employee compensation. The minutes, which don’t reveal the names of the speakers, left it unclear whether the two observations on GDP were made by one member or two.”
Calm returns to China’s money markets – FT.com
China cash crunch symbolises central bank policy quandary – FT.com
China Estimates 2013 Growth at 7.6% as Challenges Seen Ahead – Bloomberg
Emerging Markets
Turkey’s Erdogan replaces 10 ministers as inner circle cracks – FT.com
Brazil Braces for Tax Hikes – Real Time Economics – WSJ
A diplomat’s arrested; from there, the take varies : Columbia Journalism Review
Technology
BlackBerry Co-Founder Lazaridis Cuts Stake to Under 5% – WSJ.com
Vor Weihnachten Amazon setzt 600 Mitarbeiter vor die Tür – manager magazin
Apparently, 600 workers in Germany were summarily dismissed on Christmas eve by amazon, adding fuel to dispute with the workers’ union.
NSA Struggles to Make Sense of Flood of Surveillance Data – WSJ.com
A Christmas Message From Edward Snowden on Privacy – Kara Swisher – Media – AllThingsD
Smartphone growth slowing in China as Apple expands iPhone presence
SoftBank reportedly in final talks to buy T-Mobile | The Verge
SoftBank gets closer to buying T-Mobile: report – Yahoo Finance
Google sues to protect Android device makers from Apple-backed patent hell — Tech News and Analysis
Apple bruised as shoppers choose cheaper tablet computers as gifts | Technology | theguardian.com
Exclusive: Target hackers stole encrypted bank PINs – source | Reuters
North America
Late Surge in Web Buying Blindsides UPS, Retailers – WSJ.com
Volcker Rule Challenged in U.S. Court by Bank Group – Bloomberg
Investors’ Story Left Out of Wall St. ‘Wolf’ Movie – NYTimes.com
The Plight of the Employed – NYTimes.com
Online Sales Jumped 37% During Weekend – WSJ.com
Obamacare, Hated Today, Will Soon Get Boost – Bloomberg
Capital Goods Demand Signals Stronger U.S. Growth: Economy – Bloomberg
Demand for food stamps soars as cuts sink in and shelves empty | World news | The Guardian
U.S. watchdog tells American Express to refund duped clients | Reuters
100 Years Is Enough: Time to Make the Fed a Public Utility | WEB OF DEBT BLOG
Detroit Wins $55 Million in Concessions From 2 Banks – NYTimes.com
Housing
Mortgage Applications Drop to 13-Year Low – Real Time Economics – WSJ
Sales of New Homes in U.S. Exceeded Forecasts in November – Bloomberg
U.S. mortgage applications fall as refinance hits five-year low: MBA | Reuters
Housing Recovery May Be Running Out of Steam – NYTimes.com
Calculated Risk: New Home Sales at 464,000 Annual Rate in November
Europe
Mortgage lending up 37pc in a year – Telegraph
Merkel Caught In Middle On Wages – WSJ.com
Bundesbank holt 37 Tonnen Gold nach Deutschland – SPIEGEL ONLINE
The German Bundesbank has had thirty seven tons of gold returned to Germany from New York and Paris to strengthen physical control over reserves.
BBC News – France ‘to avoid double-dip recession’