Recession

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• Bernanke: Fed Ready to Cut Rates to Prevent Recession

  

  Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank was ready to cut interest rates again to prevent housing and credit problems from plunging the U.S. into a recession.

• U.S. Slowdown Putting Breaks On Next $100 A Barrel Trade?

  

  Traders are looking at the latest retail sales figures and thinking twice about snapping up crude. According to Thompson Financials combined retail index, November and December sales stalled to 2004 level.

• Consumer Spending: Not Much Debate About It Being Down

  The American consumer is cutting back--even at the most important (and typically extravagant) spending times of the year. That's the one clear headline from all the recent retail numbers. Markdowns ate profits, that's also clear. But figuring out just what's going on with the consumer involves a few shades of gray...

• Goldman Sachs' Recession Call: Stocks Will Feel Reductions

  Goldman Sachs today joins a growing roster of Wall Street firms, who say the U.S. economy will fall into recession this year. Watch for more reductions in stock price and earnings forecasts to follow.

• Martin Feldstein On Economy: No Recession, Yet

  Economist Martin Feldstein, the keeper of the official recession call, says the U.S. economy is not in recession, but growth could turn negative in the near future. He made his comments this morning on "Squawk Box."

• Goldman Sachs: The "Safe" Stocks For Primary Season

  Goldman Sachs analysts say stock investors should look to larger cap and defensive sectors as a way to play the uncertainty of presidential primary season. While they say the major party nominees should become clear by "Super Duper Tuesday," there is greater electoral and policy uncertainty in this Presidential race because there are no incumbents running.