Bank Lending Grows:
For the first time since 2008 banks have been increasing their lending at average rates. Lending was driven higher by growth in industrial and commercial loans. This trend would seem to reflect growing confidence in the strength of the U.S. economy and higher rates banks can lend at.
What We’re Reading:
After a Bad Year for Funds, Prepare for a Tax Hit (Wall Street Journal)
Top 5 stock market hoaxes of 2014 (Fortune)
Supply, demand and the price of oil (Econbrowser.com)
Junk Bond Risk Appetites Imply Stocks Should Fall At Least 13% (The Felder Report)
Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs Of 2014 (io9.com)
Too much poverty, or too much aid? (Calafia Beach Pundit)
Map: What 24 American cities wanted for Christmas
The New York Times and Google researched the top gift searches in 24 cities, and Quartz assembled a map of the results.
New Year’s Quotable:
“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” — Benjamin Franklin
“Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough.” — Mark Twain
“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier’…” ― Alfred Tennyson
“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” ― Brad Paisley
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