THE NEW YORK TIMES. JAN 8, 2013. American consumers borrowed more in November to buy cars and attend school, but they stayed cautious about using their credit cards.
The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that consumers increased their borrowing in November by $16 billion from October to a seasonally adjusted record of $2.77 trillion.
Borrowing that covers autos andstudent loans increased $15.2 billion. A category that measures credit card debt rose just $817 million.
The sharp difference in the borrowing gains illustrates a broader trend that began after the recession. Four years ago, Americans carried $1.03 trillion in credit card debt, a high. In November, that figure was 16.5 percent lower.
At the same time, student loan debt has increased significantly. The category that includes auto and student loans is 22.8 percent higher than in July 2008. Many Americans who have lost jobs have gone back to school to get training for new careers.
The November increase also reflected further gains in auto sales, which rose 13.4 percent in 2012 to top 14 million units for the first time in five years. The need to replace vehicles lost to Hurricane Sandy may have helped.
