US consumers are reducing their use of credit at a much higher rate than expected, casting doubt on recent hopes of a robust economic recovery.
Consumer credit, including credit cards, car, student and personal loans dropped at an annual pace of 10.4 per cent in July according to the US Federal Reserve. Economists say the data is an indication of bank write offs of bad debts, though consumers may also be using the higher savings created by reduced interest rates to pay down debt. Recent surveys suggest banks will maintain tight lending standards until at least the second half of 2010.
(Source: Australian Financial Review, 10 September 2009)
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