Consumers used their credit cards less often in April, but the amount they borrowed rose significantly nonetheless.
The total amount of consumer credit in the U.S. rose to nearly $2.43 trillion during April, even as consumers reduced the amount they put on their credit cards for the second time in the last three months, according to the latest statistics from the Federal Reserve Board. The increase was 3.1 percent more than the total of more than $2.42 trillion in March.
The change came even as revolving credit - the type most commonly associated with consumer card debt - slipped to $790.1 billion in April, down from $791.1 billion in March, the report said. This rate fell in February as well, and the total amount owed on American credit cards now stands 3.1 percent lower than it did at the end of last year.
For its part, nonrevolving credit - or installment loans - rose to nearly $1.64 trillion from slightly more than $1.63 trillion in March, the report said.
Consumers' revolving debt may continue to decline over the next several months as lenders continue to charge off seriously delinquent accounts as being uncollectable.
