It’s not just corporate debt that is worrying market watchers. Bloomberg News reports that a “global consumer default wave” is under way too. The trend is most apparent in China, where an estimated eight million people lost their jobs in February. Overdue credit-card debt is up 50% last month on a year earlier. “Few places have seen a bigger jump in consumer borrowing in recent years than China,” where a housing boom and new online lending platforms drove household debt to a record 55% of GDP last year.
The Institute of International Finance says that globally households are carrying $12trn more debt than before the 2008 crisis. European households are particularly vulnerable. Household debt as a percentage of net disposable income sits at more than 200% in Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. British household debt sits at 141% on this measure, while American households, which have deleveraged in the years since the great recession, score a comparatively sober 105%.
UK consumer debt levels have risen for seven years, says Laura Suter of AJ Bell. People took on an extra £900m of non-mortgage debt in February.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
The last time British consumers “repaid more than we took out” was October 2012. One in eight British adults have no savings at all. Expect a new debt boom now as locked-down workers turn to credit cards and overdrafts to tide themselves over.
-
Is the AI boom another dotcom bubble?25 years on from the dotcom bubble bursting, is it time for investors to consider the sustainability of the AI boom in the stock market?
-
What is the S&P 500?The S&P 500 is one of the world’s most popular stock market indices and has almost tripled in value over the last decade. But what is the S&P 500, and which companies does it contain?
-
Trapped in a time of zombie governmentIt’s not just companies that are eking out an existence, says Max King. The state is in the twilight zone too.
-
America is in deep denial over debtThe downgrade in America’s credit rating was much criticised by the US government, says Alex Rankine. But was it a long time coming?
-
Bank of England raises interest rates to 5.25%The Bank has hiked rates from 5% to 5.25%, marking the 14th increase in a row. We explain what it means for savers and homeowners - and whether more rate rises are on the horizon
-
UK inflation remains at 8.7% ‒ what it means for your moneyInflation was unmoved at 8.7% in the 12 months to May. What does this ‘sticky’ rate of inflation mean for your money?
-
VICE bankruptcy: how did it happen?Was the VICE bankruptcy inevitable? We look into how the once multibillion-dollar came crashing down.
-
Would a food price cap actually work?Analysis The government is discussing plans to cap the prices of essentials. But could this intervention do more harm than good?
-
UK inflation slides to 8.7% - what does it mean for your money?News Inflation has dropped below 10% for the first time in months, but with food prices at a 45-year high, is this good news and what does it mean for your money?
-
Why the UK equity market is shrinkingAnalysis The crisis has been building for 25 years, says Max King, and it will take decades to reverse the trend.
