News Summary: Average credit card debt falls in 4Q
News Summary: Late payment rate on US credit cards rose in 4Q amid ramped up holiday spending
HOLIDAY HANGOVER: Credit reporting agency TransUnion says ramped-up holiday season spending likely kept many Americans from making timely payments on their credit cards in the last three months of 2012.
HIGHER DELINQUENCY RATE: The rate of U.S. credit card payments at least 90 days overdue jumped to 0.85 percent in the fourth quarter from 0.78 percent a year earlier and increased versus the third quarter, when it was 0.75 percent.
SMALLER BALANCES: Average credit card debt per borrower was $5,122. That's down 1.6 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011, but up 2.5 percent from the July-September quarter.
