Car debt is piling up for consumers, according to a Bloomberg News report. The outlet found that the amount of negative equity, or the amount that debt surpasses a vehicle's value, is building up. This has led many car owners to show up at lots underwater, which is also known as "upside down," as they try to trade in their debt-burdened cars. The situation has emerged against a backdrop of rising interest rates, with the average new-car interest rate hitting 6.9 percent in January, up from 4.3 percent a year earlier, according to Edmunds.
The U.S. economy surprisingly accelerated to a 2.4% annual growth rate from April through June, showing continued resilience in the face of steadily higher interest rates resulting from the Federal Reserve’s 16-month-long fight to bring down inflation.
