美信用卡债务创新高：已超2008年房市危机纪录

美国人比以往更依赖于信用卡的使用，信用卡负债水平也随之创下新高，引发了人们对未来潜在经济问题的担忧。

据美联储发布的数据，11月份以信用卡负债为主的美国循环性信贷规模增加了112亿美元，达到1.023万亿美元。比起2008年4月房市和信贷泡沫破灭时创下的记录，这个数字还要更高一些。

同时，信用卡的违约也开始增加。去年，存在拖欠还款现象的信用卡比例从7%上涨到7.5%。信贷策略师表示，虽然这个数字远低于金融危机爆发前的15%，但是也构成了一个预警信号。

不过，现在就业人数和收入都处于上涨态势，带来利好，短期内不会出现经济衰退现象。瑞银分析师斯蒂芬·卡普里奥告诉《今日美国》当前信用卡负债占美国国内生产总值的5%，而2008年这个数字是6.5%。

然而，他警告我们不要掉以轻心。不管是劳动力市场还是总体经济出现疲势，都会大大加深信用卡负债问题的严重程度。（财富中文网）

译者：陈亚芬/汪皓 

Americans are using their credit cards more than ever, resulting in record levels of debt—and raising concerns about potential economic problems in the future.

The Federal Reserve says revolving credit in November (which largely consists of credit card debt) hit $1.023 trillion, an $11.2 billion increase. That’s slightly higher than the previous record set in April 2008, right before the housing and credit bubbles burst.

We’re not getting any better at paying off those bills, either. Credit card delinquencies in the past year have jumped from 7% to 7.5%. That’s notably lower than the 15% rate hit before the financial crisis, but could be an early warning sign, say credit strategists.

The good news is both jobs and incomes are on the rise right now, which means a financial downturn isn’t imminent. UBS Credit Strategist Stephen Caprio tells USA Today that the ratio of credit card debt to U.S. gross domestic product is about 5%, compared with 6.5% in 2008.

But, he cautions, a turn in either the labor market or overall economy could make the issue of credit card debt a major one.