TOPWRAP 4-World faces slowdown in 2009, hopes pinned on bailouts
* U.S. confidence plunges, home prices down 18 pct
* U.S. auto and home lender GMAC expands lending
* Global growth seen very weak next year - ECB's Hurley
* Euro zone lending stagnates, pressure for rate cut
* Japan is said to mull $110 billion plan to buy bad loans (For stories on the financial crisis, click on [nCRISIS]
NEW YORK, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Another day, another batch of warnings and data indicating the world will enter 2009 in the throes of a sharp economic slowdown, with governments scrambling to find ways to boost lending and spur growth.
Oil and gold prices dipped on Tuesday, pressured by the gloomy global economic outlook which outweighed tension in the Middle East due to Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip. [O/R]
Tuesday brought more dismal economic news in the United States, with single-family home prices down 18 percent in October from a year earlier and consumer confidence plunging to a record low due to severe job cuts. [ID:nN30339924] Continued...
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