Headlines

# Specialty chains see dismal December: SpendingPulse "- 1 hour ago"U.S. retailers experienced a dismal December, as a year-long recession and winter storms kept many potential shoppers at home, according to data released on Wednesday by SpendingPulse.

# Food stamp outlays $50 billion due to recession: CBO "- 1 hour ago"The U.S. recession will drive the cost of the food stamp program, which helps poor people buy food, to $50 billion this year, up 27 percent from 2008, congressional forecasters said on Wednesday.

# Apartment rents show first decline in over 5 years "- 13 hours ago"Average rents for U.S. apartments fell in the fourth quarter, as a sharp economic downturn and rising unemployment left Americans unwilling to pay higher prices, according to data released on Wednesda...

# Vacancies at regional malls rise as economy reels "- 10 hours ago"Vacancies at regional malls in the United States rose in the fourth quarter to their highest levels of the decade, according to data released on Wednesday by real estate research firm Reis Inc.

# $1.2 Trillion Deficit Forecast as Obama Weighs Options "- 38 minutes ago"Barack Obama said that changes in Social Security and Medicare will be central to efforts to bring federal spending in line.
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# Stocks Slide on Earnings Gloom "- 33 minutes ago"The Dow fell 2.7 percent as reports from Time Warner, Intel and Alcoa foreshadowed a bleak season for fourth-quarter earnings.

# Court Filing Details Items Madoff Sent "- 1 hour ago"Bernard L. Madoff violated his bail agreement by sending jewelry to his friends and family, prosecutors argued.

# Satyam Chief Admits Huge Fraud "- 1 hour ago"


Now, how many think 2009 will be a "rosy" year of strong recovery?

All the economic news sucks -- and, we haven't yet seen the full extent of the commercial real estate crash.

By the way, how many major retail chains will restructure in 2009?

How many will liquidate?