Quote of  the Month:
"It’s getting hard to find a forecaster who isn’t bullish on the U.S. economy for the year 2000."  

The Authors

Michael E. Staten Distinguished Professor and Director, Credit Research Center McDonough School of Business Georgetown University Washington, D.C.

Robert W. Johnson Senior Research Associate, Credit Research Center McDonough School of Business Georgetown University Washington, D.C.

A Merry Christmas Shopping Season for E-tailers and Retailers

U.S. Merchants closed out the year with a holiday shopping season that surpassed expectations.

Stellar Economic Outlook

It’s getting hard to find a forecaster who isn’t bullish on the U.S. economy for the year 2000.

Household Debt Burden

What overall measure is most useful to appraise trends in consumers' debt burden over time?

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Gift Cards

During this past Christmas season consumers were offered a wide variety of gift cards to ease their Christmas shopping.

Christmas Plastic Charges Top $126 Billion

During the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas American consumers charged $126 billion...

GE Capital Buys JCPenny Card Unit

In the latter part of 1999, GE Capital announced that it had agreed to purchase JCPenney’s credit card portfolio as well as its credit card service facilities.

Black and Blue

American Express has launched two new credit cards: one black, one blue.

Hispanics: A Growth Market

As baby-boomers reach age 65 and beyond, they are less likely to use consumer credit than younger consumers who are forming families and furnishing their homes.

Auto Leasing Slows

Personal-use leases accounted for 32.7 percent of new vehicle sales (autos and light trucks) in the first nine months of 1999, down from 34.2 percent in the same period a year earlier.

Finance Companies' Auto Loans and Leases

The Federal Reserve does not include leases in data on consumer credit outstanding.

NonPrime Auto Lenders

The National Automotive Finance Association (NAFA), which represents nonprime automobile lenders, has released its annual survey of nonprime automobile lenders for calendar year 1998.

Personal Bankruptcies Plummeted in Third Quarter, 1999

A combination of tighter lending standards and the most favorable economic conditions of the century have finally curtailed the alarming spiral in personal bankruptcies.

Debt Growth and Bankruptcy

Extraordinarily low unemployment and strong growth in personal incomes have both helped to lift financially troubled consumers away from bankruptcy.

Unfair Competition?

US firms considering expansion overseas might be surprised by differences in attitudes and laws between the US and some countries in Europe.

CRA: A "Solution" in Search of a Problem

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) of 1975 and the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977 were enacted to address perceived discrimination against minorities...

Bankruptcy Reform Passes Senate 83-14