U.S. Consumer Debt Rose in January on Credit-Card Borrowing

U.S. consumer debt picked up in January asAmericans tapped credit cards after the holidays, suggestingsupport for spending at the start of the year following a weakDecember.

Total credit rose $17 billion from the prior month, matching themedian estimate of economists, following a downwardly revised$15.4 billion gain in December, Federal Reserve figures showedThursday. Revolving debt outstanding increased at a faster pacewhile the rise in non-revolving credit was little changed.