Credit-card debt surged to 6-month high in November

Consumer borrowing rebounded in November as credit-card debt shot up by the largest amount in six months.

The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday that consumer borrowing rose at an annual rate of 7.4 percent in November, far higher than the 1 percent rise in October.

The category that includes credit-card debt surged at an annual rate of 11.3 percent, a six-month high, reflecting that shoppers are continuing to rely heavily on their credit cards to finance purchases, since home equity lines of credit have become harder to get.

The category that includes auto loans also increased in November, rising at a rate of 5.1 percent.

Economists believe that consumers are being forced to rely more heavily on borrowing on their credit cards with the collapse of the housing market.

The overall increase left total consumer credit at a record $2.51 trillion.