Economy
Productivity crisis haunts global economy – FT.com
“The failure of overall efficiency – known to economists as total factor productivity – to grow in 2013 results from slower economic growth in emerging economies alongside continued rapid increases in capital used and labour inputs. Labour productivity growth also slowed for the third consecutive year. The decline in total factor productivity continues a trend of recent years in which the remarkable rise in the efficiency of emerging markets has slowed and in advanced economies it has declined. “
Luxury consumer base to keep growing: study | Reuters
North America
Fed’s Fisher: Glad Fed Tapered, but First Cut Should Have Been Bigger – Real Time Economics – WSJ
Dallas Fed’s Fisher wanted $20 billion taper – MarketWatch
Fed’s Plosser: Weak December Jobs Data Shouldn’t Affect Taper – Real Time Economics – WSJ
Fed’s Plosser Sees ‘No Rush’ to Raise Rates as Taper on Course – Bloomberg
Fed to Release Plan to Limit Banks’ Commodities Activities – Bloomberg
Fannie, Freddie watchdog in probe of alleged Wall Street front running
Retail Sales Rise 0.2% in December – WSJ.com
Vital Sales: Retailers See Sales and Inventories Rise in Fourth Quarter – Real Time Economics – WSJ
The solution to income inequality and immobility? It’s been right in front of us all along | AEIdeas
How Big Money Keeps Populism at Bay | Alternet
Penis pumps cost U.S. government millions, watchdog cries waste | Reuters
Canadian house prices buoyed in 2013 by rebound of Toronto, Vancouver markets | Toronto Star
Bankers fear car loan and credit card delinquencies | Toronto Star
Most Canadians believe the country is still in recession, Pollara survey finds | Toronto Star
Technology
N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers – NYTimes.com
The winners and losers in the landmark net neutrality ruling
Senator Al Franken Condemns Today’s Net Neutrality Ruling | TechCrunch
Target, Neiman Marcus Credit Card Hacking Reveals Third-World US Payment Systems | naked capitalism
T-Mobile Pricing Seen as Obstacle for Any Sprint Merger – Bloomberg
Tesla Outlines Plan for China Charging Stations – WSJ.com
Markets
European Stocks Hit Six-Year High – WSJ.com
General Motors to Pay First Dividend Since 2008 – WSJ.com
Wells Fargo calls Bitcoin summit on ‘rules of engagement’ – FT.com
Bitcoin Anonymity Upgrade Zerocoin To Become An Independent Cryptocurrency – Forbes
Elsewhere
The Wolf of Wall Street attracts new complaints from disability groups | Film | theguardian.com
Emerging Markets
China’s shadow banking loans leap – FT.com
Is China’s Focus on Reform Clouding the Picture on Shadow Banking? – China Real Time Report – WSJ
Oil in Venezuela: brave investors needed
Argentina: top-end car tax starts to bite | beyondbrics
Europe
German GDP growth disappoints – FT.com
Punch Taverns warns of default if restructuring fails | Business | theguardian.com
Danish Banks Face Tougher Credit Rules to Tackle Record Debt – Bloomberg
Eurozone industrial production rebounds sharply – Telegraph
Lithuania’s Algirdas Butkevicius promises to join euro or resign – FT.com
Scandinavian Debt Crisis Waiting to Happen Puzzles Krugman – Bloomberg
Brussels May Force Germany To Loosen Access to Social Benefits – SPIEGEL ONLINE
Russia builds clout in eastern Europe with €10bn loan to Hungary – FT.com
Japan
Japan No Longer an Export Powerhouse – Real Time Economics – WSJ