WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer credit rose a smaller-than-expected $2.52 billion in March, the smallest rise since November, due to a drop in credit card debt, a Federal Reserve report showed on Friday.
Analysts polled by Reuters were expecting a $4 billion increase.
Consumer credit outstanding rose to $2.161 trillion in March, rising at a 1.4 percent annual rate from $2.159 trillion the previous month.
Revolving credit, which includes credit and charge cards, fell by an annual 0.2 percent rate to $805.8 billion after a scant 0.1 percent gain in February.
Non-revolving credit -- closed-end loans for cars, boats, education expenses and holidays -- rose 2.4 percent to $1.356 trillion in March.
© Reuters 2006.
Source: Reuters
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