Consumer credit rises $16 billion in October

WASHINGTON -- U.S. consumers borrowed more heavily for auto and student loans in October, taking out debt that helps them find jobs and commute to work.

The Federal Reserve said Monday consumer borrowing rose $16 billion in October to $3.5 trillion. But the pace of borrowing decelerated from the $28.5 billion increase in September.

Nearly all the October gain came from the category that covers auto and student loans. Credit-card borrowing edged up $200 million.

The increase suggests more Americans are borrowing to improve their educational skills and upgrade their cars and trucks, instead of relying on debt to fund their daily shopping and emergency expenses.

Many economists expect consumer spending will be relatively healthy in the coming months because of strong job gains that have bolstered auto and home sales for much of 2015.

Yet a struggling global economy has tempered U.S. growth as the year draws to an end.

The Labor Department reported last week employers added 211,000 jobs in November and 298,000 in October. The unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent last month. The report showed evidence workers pushed to the sidelines during the recession and sluggish six-year recovery are filtering back into the job market.

The overall economy has advanced despite a waning global economy. A stronger dollar, slowing growth in China, a recession in Japan and a struggling Europe have been a drag on U.S. manufacturing, dampening overall growth.