U.S. consumers fall behind on loans at record pace

[Joanne98]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Soaring U.S. unemployment and a shrinking economy drove delinquencies on credit card debt and home equity loans to all-time highs in the first quarter as a record number of cash-strapped consumers fell behind on their bills.

Delinquencies on the value of all card debt soared to a record 6.60 percent from 5.52 percent in the fourth quarter as more cardholders relied on plastic to meet day-to-day expenses, the American Bankers Association said.

Late payments on home equity loans rose to 3.52 percent from 3.03 percent, and on home equity lines of credit climbed to 1.89 percent from 1.46 percent.

A broader gauge showing late payments on eight categories of loans rose for a fourth straight quarter to a new record, edging up to 3.23 percent from 3.22 percent. That rate actually understates consumer pain because it excludes credit cards. The ABA tracks loan payments that are at least 30 days late.

"The biggest driver is job losses," ABA Chief Economist James Chessen said in an interview. "When people lose their jobs or work fewer hours, it makes it that much harder to meet their obligations. Unfortunately, we're going to see higher job losses in the next year, and I expect elevated delinquencies."

The ABA represents most large U.S. banks and credit card companies. Tuesday's data are a bad sign for them as they prepare to report second-quarter results starting next week.

While improved capital markets may boost the bottom lines of some, analysts expect lenders such as Bank of America Corp, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Citigroup Inc, Capital One Financial Corp and American Express Co to suffer higher credit losses, especially in cards.

BRIDGE TO EMPLOYMENT

Borrowers are struggling as the nation's jobless rate sits at a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, with 6.5 million jobs having disappeared since the recession began in December 2007. The Obama administration expects the unemployment rate to hit double digits before declining.

U.S. consumers ended March with $939.6 billion of revolving credit outstanding, a rough approximation of credit card debt, according to Federal Reserve data.

"Consumers tend to rely on credit cards as a bridge to cover their daily needs until they find new jobs," Chessen said. "It's taking longer to find those jobs."

Meanwhile, home prices are down 32.6 percent from their peak in 2006, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices of 20 large metropolitan areas.

The ABA in June said it expects the recession to end this quarter, despite rising unemployment.

The overall ABA delinquency rate includes direct auto, indirect auto, closed-end home equity, home improvement, marine, mobile home, personal, and recreational vehicle loans.

Delinquencies rose to 3.01 percent from 2.03 percent on direct auto loans, to 3.70 percent from 2.96 percent on mobile home loans, to 3.47 percent from 2.88 percent on personal loans, and to 1.52 percent from 1.38 percent on recreational vehicle loans. Continued...

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http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE56638720090707

[Hydra]

1. "Jobless recovery"

Yeah, if the banks want their made up money back in blood, they'll have to find a way to get the jobs back.

[AnneD]

2. We just went in today...

and paid 1K on the back end of our loan at the credit union. Our debt snowball continues. That loan will be gone in about 2 more months. Then we get the IRS paid in another 6 months max. The student loan will take longer but it will be the only bill we will have outside of monthly expenses. I predict that in a little over 2 years we will be totally debt free and in the market for a house. We are hoping cash in hand will make for a better deal.

Hubby opened his business last month, is running at a profit, and we don't owe anyone a penny-except for the taxes. We are finally seeing the fruits of our hard work-getting out of debt, cutting up credit cards (last card cut up in 2001) and living living on cash and within our budget.

Hubby has been threatened with lay off but so what. We are more than ready for what ever storm hits. We have back up jobs in fairly secure spots. We saw this puppy coming at least 4 years ago and have been working like dogs to get stuff paid off.

The only way out of this jobless recovery is to make your own. Don't count on the corps, they only want slaves.

[girl gone mad]

3. Home-Equity Loan and Credit Card Delinquencies Reach Record Since 1974

From http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=axMDObJEk6eA">Bloomberg:

July 7 (Bloomberg) -- Late payments on home-equity loans rose to a record in the first quarter as 18 straight months of job losses and a slumping economy left more borrowers unable to pay their debts, the American Bankers Association reported.

Delinquencies on home-equity loans climbed to 3.52 percent of all accounts from 3.03 percent in the fourth quarter, and late payments on home-equity lines of credit climbed to a record 1.89 percent, the group reported today. An index of eight types of loans rose for a fourth straight quarter, to 3.23 percent from 3.22 percent in October through December, the group said.

“The number one driver of delinquencies is job losses, which we’ve seen build and build,” James Chessen, the group’s chief economist, said in a telephone interview. “Delinquencies won’t come down without a dramatic improvement in the economy and businesses will have to start hiring again.”

The U.S. economy lost an average 691,000 jobs a month in the quarter, and more than 6.5 million positions have been shed since the recession began in December 2007. The economy this year will shrink the most since 1946, according to a Bloomberg survey of 61 economists last month. President Barack Obama predicted last month unemployment will reach 10 percent this year. The rate was at a 26-year high of 9.5 percent in June.

Delinquent bank-card accounts jumped to a record 6.60 percent of outstanding card debt in the first quarter from 5.52 percent in the previous period, a signal unemployed borrowers are relying on cards as falling prices erode the equity in their homes. More borrowers are using cards to meet daily expenses after losing their jobs, the ABA said.

[Wednesdays]

4. K&R

:kick:

[bertman]

5. And this comes as a surprise to whom???

Very scary.