Friday's News Links

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Rally Stumbles With Virus Concerns Back to Fore: Markets Wrap

[CNBC] Stocks are set to retreat from records to end the week, Dow futures drop 250 points

[Reuters] Global stocks ease as gloomy data takes shine off U.S. stimulus hopes

[Reuters] Oil down 2% as China COVID-19 cases trigger clampdowns

[Reuters] Italian risk premium highest since Nov on political noise after ECB

[Reuters] Dollar inches up after three-day losing streak; risk currencies fall

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Bitcoin’s Worst Week Since March Rattles Faith in Crypto Boom

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] BofA Warns U.S. Policy Is Fueling a Bubble in Wall Street Prices

[CNBC] Trading volume is up from 2020′s breakneck pace as retail investors jump in

[The Hill] Senate chaos threatens to slow Biden's agenda

[CNBC] Biden to sign executive orders to boost food benefits, workers’ rights as part of Covid relief push

[Reuters] Biden names U.S. SEC Commissioner Herren Lee acting head of regulator

[CNBC] Biden’s team talks tough on China as early signs show policies won’t differ sharply from Trump’s

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Biden’s Student Loan Freeze Shows Path to Erase Billions of Debt

[CNBC] Covid live updates: U.S. hospitalizations fall to pre-Christmas levels; Walmart expands vaccinations

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Germany Cuts 2021 Economic Outlook Amid Lockdowns, Bottlenecks

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Cryptos Won’t Work as Actual Currencies, UBS Economist Says

[WSJ] Investment-Grade Bonds Stumble on Rising Yields

[WSJ] Companies Are Selling Stock at Record Pace to Start the Year

[WSJ] Markets Are Convinced: The Fed Won’t Come for the Punch Bowl

[WSJ] Eurozone on Brink of Recession Amid Covid Wave, Slow Vaccine Rollout

[WSJ] SPACs Rescued Wall Street From the Covid Doldrums

[WSJ] Studies of South African Coronavirus Strain Raise Concerns About Immune Response

[FT] Chinese purchases of US exports fall far behind trade deal pledge

[FT] Wall Street frets as Elizabeth Warren ally takes consumer protection role