Links:

Bernanke says the Economy still needs help - Bloomberg

Deflation on the Prowl - AEP

Gold in Euros, not Pesos.....Euros

Consumer credit decreased at an annual rate of 5-1/2 percent in February 2010. Revolving credit decreased at an annual rate of
13 percent, and nonrevolving credit decreased at an annual rate of 1-1/2 percent.

Shopping Ctr Vacancies still Rising.

Mortgage Rates Rising:

The Mortgage Bankers' purchase index, up 0.2 percent in the Easter week, added slightly to prior gains. But mortgage rates are the report's big headline, jumping 27 basis points in the week for 30-year loans to 5.31 percent in what the report blames on the end to Fed purchases of mortgage-backed securities. The jump in rates dried up demand for refinancing with the index down 16.9 percent. - Bloomberg

-Bank Credit: $8,853 bn.Bank credit has contracted $145 bn since Dec. 2009, vs. a contraction of $280 bn for all of 2009.

-Rates: 10yr: 3.94%(++) Fed Funds: 0.25% (=) See Chart Here.

-S&P eps estimate: $80 (+) P/E: 14.3x See Source Here.

-U6 (Jobless + Marginally attached workers): 16.9% Upticks from 16.5%

-Dollar Index: 98.42, down vs. 99.5 on gains in oil and gold last week...Index rebased to 100 on 1.1.10.

-Weightings: US Broad Dollar Index: 60%/Gold 20%/Oil 20%

-DXY index: 103.67 vs. last week's 104.78. (for reference) rebased to 100 on 1.1.10.

-BIC est. 2010 gdp growth: 8.9%, raised from 8.75% due to China forecast

raised by 0.5% by the World Bank.

Weightings: China 60%/India 20%/Brazil 20%.

-China Rates: Tightening bias through loan restrictions: (=/-)