Media Digest 12/31/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTime, FT, Bloomberg

Reuters:   China has hit back at a tariff put on steel pipes by the US.

Reuters:   Oil, near $80, may have strongest gain in a decade.

Reuters:   The government will give GMAC $3.5 billion.

WSJ:   US mortgage companies will be required to give greater disclosures to consumers on the costs of loans.

WSJ:   Chrysler dealers are still fighting being closed.

WSJ:   Fox and Time Warner Cable (NYSE:TWC) are still fighting over fees the channel should be paid by the cable firm

WSJ:   J&J (NYSE:JNJ) had a major setback on use of one of its antibiotics.

WSJ:   The No.2 executive at Continental (NYSE:CAL) will become CEO.

WSJ:   The DJIA is up 20% this year.

WSJ:   The way that jobless numbers are calculated means that unemployment has probably not peaked.

NYT:   Several European nations could still default on debt.

NYT:   Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) YouTube is working on technology to bring people videos related to their original searches.

NYT:   The N0.2 executive at McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) left suddenly.

NYT:   ShopperTrak says sales rose 9% on December 26

FT:   M&A activity was not hurt by the recession.

Bloomberg:   Mortgage bonds rallied, a sign mortgage rates will rise.

Bloomberg:   A senior Chinese office said 2010 will be a crucial year for fighting the economic crisis.

Douglas A. McIntyre