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.
-
What happens if you can’t pay your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?Millions are due to file their tax return this Friday as the self-assessment deadline closes. Though the nightmare is not over until you pay the taxman what you owe - or face a penalty. But what happens if you can't afford to pay HMRC your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
-
What does Rachel Reeves’s plan for growth mean for UK investors?Rachel Reeves says she is going “further and faster” to kickstart the UK economy, but investors are unlikely to be persuaded
-
UK wages grow at a record paceThe latest UK wages data will add pressure on the BoE to push interest rates even higher.
-
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?
-
UK economy avoids stagnation with surprise growthGross domestic product increased by 0.2% in the second quarter and by 0.5% in June
-
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?
