The rise in the prime is likely to mean higher interest rates on a range of consumer borrowing.

In those two months, heavy automobile sales lifted consumer borrowing.

Declines in rates for other types of consumer borrowing are even more striking.

The report underscored the importance of consumer borrowing and spending in keeping the economy moving.

Consumer borrowing continues to rise, and sales of existing homes rose more than 6 percent in January.

Even this February, as the credit crunch started to bite, consumer borrowing increased by £10 billion.

And consumer borrowing is at very high levels, having risen particularly among lower-income households.

Credit card use is curtailed and other forms of consumer borrowing are discouraged.

He said additional problems would show up if consumer borrowing kept outpacing disposable income.

Consumer borrowing increased in August at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6 percent.