Consumer credit rises in November

Despite mixed signals about economic expansion in the short term, consumer credit reports should be strengthening following a report from the Federal Reserve which stated that consumer credit expanded by $1.3 billion in November. That figure represents a 0.7 percent increase at an annualized rate and was led by nonrevolving credit such as auto and student loans. Both loan categories, often provided by government resources, saw a cumulative credit increased by $5.6 billion, Bloomberg reports. The amount of debt held by consumer credit cards and other forms of revolving credit continues to decline, in large part due to declining intervention by the government, according to the Atlantic. "Credit availability in the auto sector will continue to improve in 2011 on the back of the improving job market and improving credit force," Don Johnson, vice president of U.S. sales operations for General Motors, told Bloomberg. November was the 27th straight month in which credit card used declined. Meanwhile, the official credit increase surpassed economists' expectations of a $500 million bump.