Friday Morning Links

MUST READS
Suspension of debt limit wins final approval - Reuters
U.S. debt woes are not so dire, experts say - LA Times
The economist-pundit divide on debt and deficits - Washington Post
President Obama’s jobs council shutting down Thursday - Fox News
Be Very Afraid When Fear Disappears From Markets - Bloomberg
Netherlands nationalizes SNS Reaal at cost of $5 billion - Reuters
French people believe country is ‘totally bankrupt’ - Telegraph
The Nordic countries: The world’s next supermodel - Economist
California Debt Rating Raised After Surplus Forecast - Bloomberg
Why the Fed needs golden handcuffs - The Real Asset Co.
When taxes first hit the middle class - CNN/Money
Credit Supernova! - Gross, Pimco

MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil prices fall ahead of US jobs report - AP
Gold edges higher ahead of U.S. payrolls data - Reuters
What the Brent/WTI oil price spread tells us - MarketWatch
Dow, S&P 500 post best Jan. gains since the 1990s - USA Today
Expect to hear a lot of scary bond bubble talk, starting … now. - Quartz
Risks and Rewards: Deutsche Bank Returns to Commodities Speculation - Spiegel
Bond Sales Globally Reach Busiest January After Record Year - Bloomberg
“Everybody in the Industry Knows the US Doesn’t Have the Gold” - Dollar Collapse
Credit Suisse calls an end to the gold bull market - Mineweb
US Mint Jan Gold coin sales hit 140,000 ounces - BullionStreet

ECONOMY/WORLD/HOUSING/BANKING
Calling the Keynesians’ Bluff - The American
More U.S. Small Businesses Cutting Workers Than Hiring - Gallup
Divining the Roadmap To the “Unexpected” Contraction - RCM
Eurozone manufacturing ‘on course’ for return to growth - BBC
Worst Not Over for Spain Banks After Big Writedowns - CNBC
China Vehicle Population Hits 240 Million as Smog Worsens - Bloomberg
Investment from China rises amid concern - Washington Post
China’s Manufacturing Sustained Expansion in January - Bloomberg
China Home Prices Have Biggest Gain in 2 Years, SouFun Says - Bloomberg
Housing Market Recovery Continues as Prices in November Rise - Investors.com
Into oblivion with an oblivious Fed - Business Spectator
Are jobless recoveries the Fed’s fault? - Noahpinion