Lunchtime Links: Three-day week?

Why did no one think of this before? According to the Financial Times, more than 2,500 digger makers at JCB have come up with the notion of working four-day weeks to save their jobs. With markets in free fall, US futures already frozen at their daily limit down level, and Russia's MICEX exchange closed again, now may be the time for London traders to follow their example and stay at home for a few days each week for the sake of a) jobs, and b) the common good.

"The markets will soon be open 3 hours a day. Imagine that? More leisure time to play with the unemployed Goldman staff." (Fintag)

Hedge fund PANIC could close markets. (The Times)

Pound pounded. (Alphaville)

Banks still borrowing record amounts from the Fed. (CNN)

Fed lost $2.7bn on Bear. (FT)

The AIG black hole. (Clusterstock)

Russia's financial crisis is escalating with lightning speed. (Telegraph)

Until the layoffs were reported, Goldman's staffing was on the upswing; headcount was up 3% just in the third quarter. (Wall Street Journal)

So did David Viniar fib about hiring intentions? (Dealbreaker)

Fixed income and investment banking, New York and London, to bear brunt of Goldman cuts. (Financial Times)

Goldman partners chosen very soon. (Telegraph)

Nomura poaches from Barclays. (Reuters)

Protestors demand return of UBS bonuses. (Bloomberg)

"The partying crept in." (Bloomberg)

Sound of Citi. (Citi graduate site)