The U.S. economy shed 651,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported Friday, the third-largest monthly total since the government began compiling data in 1939.

After receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal bailout money, the biggest U.S. banks say they can’t track how that money is being spent. Some of the banks are outright refusing to discuss the matter, a new study has found.

Two major U.S. banking deals were completed yesterday (Thursday), enabling the suitors to finalize the deals before 2008 came to a close. Bank of America Corp. (BAC) completed its purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (MER), creating the largest U.S. bank – as well as the biggest challenge yet for longtime BofA Chief Executive Officer Kenneth D. Lewis.

The late November rally in gold prices wasn’t quite as spectacular as mid-September’s gain, but it was still impressive. There was good follow-through too, though the momentum softened as bulls knocked on resistance near $850.

Last week’s gold rally has fizzled out. But Ed Bugos says we could be in line for very bullish move. Outside of Japan, countries are inflating rapidly, which is extremely bearish for paper currency. And the supply and demand fundamentals of physical gold remain bullish.

Consumer credit could be the next “aftershock” of this financial crisis, says Jason Simpkins. Banks have suffered big losses on mortgages, and are now looking to reduce their exposure to credit card debt. This could be the death knell for the American consumer, and deepen the US recession in 2009.

Andrew Snyder says savvy investors can earn some quick profits on the back of the government’s $700bn bailout plan. A company like General Electric (NYSE:GE) doesn’t need a cash injection to survive, but can use a “shot in the arm” to revitalise growth.

Andrew Snyder says this credit crisis could eventually go down as one of the most profitable periods in US history. The country’s biggest and oldest companies are selling at an unprecedented discount. Andrew selects four blue chip stocks set to make huge recovery profits over the next two years.

It takes more than a globally competitive economy to have a sound banking system. For the third straight year, the United States finds itself at the top of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as part of its annual Global Competitiveness Report.

Andrew Gordon at Investor’s Daily Edge says “the crap is about to hit the fan” for homebuilders.