Current Intrade odds have Romney’s chances down to 40.2% and Gingrich’s chances up to 36.5%, which is the smallest-ever Romney-Gingrich gap at 3.7%.

1. There have been 1,500 accidents and incidents on U.K. wind farms, including 4 deaths, according to The Telegraph. 2. Rising wage pressures are moving from China to Vietnam, as Japanese companies that built plants in Vietnam to take advantage … read more >

1. Minneapolis Star Tribune – “A New Day for Pawn Shops“: Fueled by the popularity of reality TV shows, pawnshops are becoming popular destinations for holiday shoppers. 2. CBS Detroit –”Is The Pawn Shop The New Spot For Holiday Shopping?“ 3. … read more >

The New York Federal Reserve updated its “Probability of U.S. Recession Predicted by Treasury Spread” last week with treasury yield data through November 2011, and the Fed’s recession probability forecast through November 2012 (see chart above). The NY Fed’s Treasury … read more >

From The Economist: “Our interactive map provides the latest polling data for the Republican candidates, showing who is leading the race in each state and the date of the polls. It includes a drop-down election calendar containing all the key … read more >