In the world’s largest economy, household debt in the United States has soared to an unprecedented $18.59 trillion, according to official figures released this week. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that between July and September alone, American families accumulated $197 billion in new debt, marking one of the steepest quarterly increases in recent years.
Since 2019, total household debt in the US has grown by more than $4.4 trillion, reflecting persistent financial strain faced by families. Education loans remain a major contributor to this crisis. Americans currently owe $1.65 trillion in student debt, the highest in US history. Shockingly, only about 10 percent of these loans have been fully repaid, and reports indicate that a large share of borrowers lack the financial capacity to service their loans. Credit card debt has also surged dramatically. In the July–September quarter, combined credit card and student loan balances rose by $24 billion, pushing total credit card debt to $1.23 trillion, another all-time high. Auto loans tell a similar story, with American families now owing $1.66 trillion in vehicle-related debt.
Experts argue that the economic policies implemented after Donald Trump’s return to power have played a major role in worsening household financial conditions. In particular, steep tariff hikes have raised living costs for families. As essential goods become more expensive, many consumers have turned to credit cards to manage daily expenses, even as repayment efficiency remains low. Meanwhile, the high demand for student loans continues, but repayment capacity lags far behind. The economic frustrations are further amplified by public unrest in the consumer market.
The ongoing government shutdown, under the current Trump administration, has now become the longest in American history. Thousands of federal employees have been furloughed without pay, leaving many households in severe financial hardship. As a result, consumer confidence has plummeted. According to new data from the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment fell by 6 percent in the past month alone, the sharpest drop in more than three years. The Consumer Sentiment Index dropped from 53.6 in October to 50.3 in November, failing to meet analyst expectations of 53. Economists warn that an unresolved shutdown could trigger further instability in the market, pushing the already fragile US consumer economy toward deeper crisis.
China’s Export Growth Turns Negative for First Time in Two Years
The economic shockwaves are not limited to the United States. Heavy tariffs imposed by President Trump have dealt a major blow to China as well. In October, China’s exports fell into negative territory for the first time in two years, marking a critical shift for the world’s second-largest economy.
Official data shows that China’s total exports contracted at a –1.1 per cent growth rate, a dramatic drop from +8.2 per cent in September, which was the country’s highest export performance in six months. The October decline stunned markets, especially since analysts had predicted +3 per cent export growth.
The primary cause was a staggering 25 per cent fall in exports to the United States. The Trump administration recently imposed a 57 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, targeting what it called “excessive exports” of the painkiller fentanyl. This tariff shock has severely disrupted trade flows. In fact, Chinese exports to the US have now fallen by more than 10% for seven consecutive months, highlighting the long-term impact of the trade conflict.
Domestic performance offered little relief. China’s import growth remained weak, rising only 1 per cent in October, far below the 3.2 per cent growth expected by analysts. Imports from the United States were hit even harder, plunging 23 per cent, underscoring the widening strain between the two economies. Signals of distress are also visible in China’s industrial sector. The Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures factory-level profitability, fell, 2.1 per cent, remaining in negative territory for the third straight year. While analysts had estimated a slightly steeper decline of –2.2 per cent, the overall trend indicates prolonged stress within China’s manufacturing and export industries. A negative PPI means factories are not securing gains from products or services sold in the market, suggesting production remains subdued.
In summary, October marked a turning point for China’s export-driven economy. The –1.1 per cent export contraction, coupled with a massive drop in US‐bound shipments and weak domestic demand, shows that the economic pressures sparked by the Trump-era tariff regime are far from over. Observers warn that if trade disputes escalate, both the American and Chinese economies could face deeper setbacks in the months ahead.
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