Wednesday Morning Links

MUST READS
Markets rise as Alcoa sees stronger demand - AP
2012 was hottest year on record for Lower 48 states - LA Times
Analysis: Market bellwether bodes well for 2013 - Reuters
No more paper Social Security checks come March - CNN/Money
Congress below cockroaches, traffic jams, in Americans’ esteem - Public Policy Polling
Former Mint Director: Trillion Dollar Coin Ain’t Worth a Plugged Nickel - CNBC
The $1 Trillion Coin Is The Most Important Fiscal Policy Debate You’ll See In Your Life - BI
$1 trillion platinum coin hogwash – if it should happen buy gold and silver - Mineweb
Trillion dollar coin: Funny money or real solution? - POLITICO
The economics of the platinum coin option: Platinomics - Economist
$1 Trillion Platinum Coin: Fighting Stupid with Silly - Fiscal Times
Rage Against the Coin - Krugman, NY Times

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil up on Alcoa results despite Europe joblessness - AP
Gold rises towards $1,665 as stock markets firm - Reuters
Why VIX’s Recent Plunge May Be Bad for Stocks - CNBC
Understanding risk aversion in financial markets - Econbrowser
Reasons to cut back on stocks in retirement - CNN/Money
US oil production ‘to jump by a quarter by 2014′ - BBC
Rising Bond Yields—This Is Just the Start - CNBC
The Gold Mania in India - Daily Reckoning
Eight Reasons Why Gold May Disappoint in 2013 - Nasdaq
“Pension Money In Bullion Is ‘Peanuts’ … At The Moment” - GoldCore

ECONOMY/WORLD/HOUSING/BANKING
Retail Center Demand Slows Amid Sluggish Job Growth - Bloomberg
Consumer credit rises for fourth straight month in November - Reuters
A year of stagnation continued in 2013 - Caixin Online
German Exports Seen Hitting New Record in 2012 - Spiegel
How Mario Draghi is reshaping Europe’s central bank - Reuters
‘Disappointing’ U.K. trade deficit renewing triple-dip fears - Telegraph
Irish house prices to fall another 20pc, warns Fitch - Telegraph
What the $8.5B foreclosure deal means for borrowers - Washington Post
Real Estate Is Far From a Free Market, Report Says - WSJ
A Bold Dissenter at the Fed, Hoping His Doubts Are Wrong - NY Times
The banks are winning (and that’s not entirely a bad thing) - Washington Post
Citigroup’s Capture of Treasury Department Almost Complete - Bloomberg