Consumer Credit Grows In October

Consumer credit grew more than twice as rapidly in October as September, reversing a one-month slowdown and surpassing the $1 trillion mark for the first time.

The Federal Reserve said Thursday that overall borrowing rose by $10.6 billion in October, a 12.7 percent annual rate. It was the largest increase since June and compared with a $4.1 billion rise, or a 5 percent rate, the previous month.

The October turnaround caught many analysts by surprise. They expected September’s slowdown to continue because consumers have been piling up debt at a record pace and there is other evidence consumer spending is increasing less rapidly.

In a separate report, the Mortgage Bankers Association said its National Delinquency Survey showed the seasonally adjusted delinquency rate on one- to four-unit homes was 4.24 percent.

The rate was up from 4.15 percent during the April-June quarter and the highest since a 4.26 percent rate in the second quarter of 1993.