Thursday Evening Links

[Reuters] Optimism on trade, online shopping pushes Wall Street to records

[MarketWatch] Gold price marks highest finish in more than 8 weeks

[Reuters] Oil up 1% at highest since September on trade pact and crude supplies

[AP] Markets in 2019: record stocks, lower rates, so-so IPOs

[Bloomberg] Fed’s Repo Op Is Undersubscribed, Suggesting Dealers at Capacity

[Bloomberg] China’s Government Is Letting a Wave of Bond Defaults Just Happen

[NYT] Americans Keep Spending: Holiday Sales Grew 3.4%

[WSJ] Fed’s U-Turn on Assets Faces a Year-End Test

[WSJ] U.S. Government Sets Record for Debt Auctions