Delinquencies in both open- and closed-end loans rose in the first quarter of 2017, according to the ABA Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin released today. The rise in closed-end delinquencies was driven by an uptick in late payments on auto loans, the report noted. The composite ratio, which tracks delinquencies in the closed-end installment loan categories, rose 5 basis points to 1.56 percent of all accounts, but remained well below the 15-year average of 2.17 percent.
Delinquencies in indirect auto loans rose 8 basis points to 1.83 percent of all accounts, while direct auto lending delinquencies increased by 9 points to 1.03 percent of all accounts. Both remained well beneath 15-year averages, however.
In the home-related category lines tracked, home equity line of credit delinquencies and home equity loan delinquencies rose to 1.11 percent and 2.59 percent, respectively. Property improvement loan delinquencies held steady at 0.98 percent of all accounts. Meanwhile, bank card delinquencies rose 5 basis points to 2.74 percent of all accounts.
“Eight years into the economic recovery, it was inevitable that we’d start to see delinquencies edge up from their extremely low levels,” said ABA chief economist James Chessen. “Even in a strong economy with good job growth, there are always people living paycheck to paycheck. Any small bump in the road can be enough to cause them to miss a payment or two on their loan. The good news is that most consumers have been careful to manage their debt levels to ensure they can withstand those small setbacks and meet their obligations.”
