Improving job market offers hope for consumer finance sector

Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Labor reported a dip in the unemployment rate to 8.5 percent. The figure marks the lowest its been in nearly three years and offers a few rays of hope for an economic recovery. How improvements in the job market play out in regards to consumer spending and finance remains to be seen, but it's sure to be an influence. When employment improves so does spending and personal financial health. This, in turn, opens up new lines of credit to candidates who may otherwise have been unqualified. "The rise in employment, paired with greater access to capital and credit lines, will likely lead to higher consumer discretionary spending as many buyers find themselves with extra income to spend for the first time in years," reports Credit Card City. "Automobiles, electronics, furniture and other home goods are all categories in which we expect to see growth in 2012." Of course, consumer credit risk management is one of the most important trends to emerge from the recession. As it is, consumer should not expect the credit market to be as it was before the downturn.