consumer credit

U.S. consumers swiped their credit cards more often in March and took out more loans to attend school, driving overall borrowing up by the most in more than a decade. Total consumer borrowing rose $21.4 billion in March, the Federal Reserve said Monday. That's the seventh straight monthly increase and the largest since November 2001.

Credit is ever so personal, and ultimately it's your responsibility -- but it's not solely about you. Your state's creditworthiness can impact you too. For that reason, CardRatings.com's recently released rankings of the 10 Best and Worst States for Consumer Credit is worth a look-see.

In the past year, millions of Americans have significantly cut their use of credit cards in an effort to take control of their financial lives. But some people are taking an even more radical step -- going cold turkey on plastic and paying for everything with good ol' cash.

Home retailers Bed Bath & Beyond and Pier 1 Imports are scheduled to post quarterly earnings this week, along with Monsanto, the biotech, agriculture and chemical giant. Here's what analysts expect to see.

Yes, the unemployment rate sank below 9% in February, but the investors didn't seem to be impressed by that report. They're expected to focus this week on government data regarding consumer credit, some retail earnings and wholesale trade and jobless figures.

A quiet week for earnings, along with new reports on consumer credit, consumer sentiment, economic optimism, wholesale trade, the U.S. trade balance and federal budget balance, should give the stock markets a chance to settle down after last week's volatility.

More shoppers are in stores these days, but they're also spending more carefully. That's not necessarily bad news for the holiday season. It's just that retailers have accepted they'll have to work hard this year to keep registers ringing.

Consumer credit unexpectedly rose by $2.1 billion in September, but the rise is only a partial victory for those who argue that credit expansion is required for the U.S. economy to return to a normal growth rate, because credit card debt fell for the second straight month. If that decreased plastic use continues this fall, it will likely weigh on retailers%u2019 holiday shopping revenue.

Total consumer debt fell by $3.3 billion in August. And as in July, declining revolving debt, which includes credit cards, accounted for the entire drop. The trend could keep GDP in check, but long term, it's a positive.

Officially underway since June 2009, the recovery has been tepid at best. The balance sheet of the average household is still straining under considerable debt, while incomes have barely risen, suggesting that the recovery has a shaky foundation.