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Today's must read:
Dumbest moments in business 2009 - CNN
Number One: Goldman Sachs's PR blitz
For all the complex financial products they can dream up, simple common sense still seems to elude the bright minds of Wall Street. Or at least, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.
Hoping to shore up his firm's battered image, he spearheaded an all-out public relations campaign this fall, touting his company's important role in building economies and helping everyday workers prosper.
Last month, however, he got a bit carried away, telling a Times of London reporter that he was just a banker "doing God's work." For $43 million a year.
Companies
Hint of merger as Richard Pym named for both Northern Rock chair and Bradford & Bingley - The Times
Political meddling 'damaging' RBS - BBC
Eurex and LSE to launch equity options trading - Financial Times
AIG confident of repaying taxpayers - Financial Times
Goldman Sachs sued over 'extravagant compensation bonanza'
- The Telegraph
Judge attacks Lehman for rules breach - The Telegraph
Credit Suisse to pay $536m to settle US sanctions inquiry - The Telegraph
Citigroup in $20.5bn cash call to repay bailout funds - The Independent
Markets
Decision may spell end of cheques - BBC
Spain tops doom list, but UK warned - The Independent
How to restore confidence in loan securitisation - Financial Times
Time to rebuild trust between the City, government and society - The Times
Conferences
Top 10 Takeaways from BAI Retail Delivery - BAI
Technology
Top Twitter Trends of 2009 - Twitter Blog
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Chris M Skinner
Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...