Consumer Debt

Before the Great Recession, U.S. consumer debt had risen fairly steadily for more than a decade. With the downturn, it finally dropped...until December's small rise. However, a longer look at the trend of ever-rising debt shows that America is still extraordinarily overextended.

The bank now says positive trends in consumer spending, employment and the stock market will likely boost U.S. economic growth higher than the 3% most analysts had previously predicted. Deutsche's chief equity strategist is predicting a 23% rise in the stock market for 2011.

Equifax has ranked the U.S. metropolitan areas that are still suffering the most from high credit card debt, and found the majority of the areas with the highest debt-to-income ratios are located in six states. But the six might not be the ones you'd guess.

U.S. shoppers piled up the presents under their Christmas trees, but retailers were still a bit disappointed. The Commerce Department's official tally shows what many suspected: Consumers did most of their holiday buying early this year.

Retail sales have perked up, but consumers aren't resuming their old habit of using credit cards to splurge on gifts. According to a new poll, more than half of American adults say they're sticking with cash this holiday shopping season.

U.S. consumers appear to be getting bit less frugal: The amount of consumer credit in use unexpectedly rose in October for the second straight month. But the whole rise came from non-revolving debt, which includes auto loans and personal loans, while revolving debt, which includes credit cards, plunged.

The world economy is poised for more of the same in 2011: booming growth in China, India and Brazil, and a sluggish crawl in much of the rest of the developed world. Here are the five most important factors driving sluggish economic growth in the U.S.

Forget the gloomy predictions: According to Richard Berner of Morgan Stanley, U.S. consumers are a year ahead of schedule in repairing their household balance sheets, giving them the ability to start spending again soon. And the head of the IMF was explicit Monday: A double dip is unlikely.

Credit card use plunged for the sixth straight month in July, with total consumer debt falling by $3.6 billion, or 1.75%, the U.S. Federal Reserve announced Wednesday.

"Follow the money," said Deep Throat in the movie All The President's Men. This set us to wondering just where the money is in the U.S.A.? Luckily, OnlineSchools.org produced this infographic for our friends at Mint.com that shows clearly where following the money will lead you. Made by Online...