[Market Brief] Can the US default risk be controlled? A comprehensive breakdown of credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages!

What we want you to know:

Yesterday, the U.S. January employment report was released. Although non-farm payrolls exceeded expectations, after revisions to the 2025 fiscal year baseline, employment growth was revised down from +584,000 to +181,000, with the average monthly increase falling from 49,000 to 15,000, nearly stagnating. This raises concerns about whether a weak labor market might undermine consumer spending.

Meanwhile, delinquency rates have been rising since 2023, with a significant increase in overdue loans (delinquent at least 90 days) among U.S. consumers. The rise is especially notable in credit cards, auto loans, and student loans, indicating that some households are under increasing financial pressure. The latest figures released this week also show that delinquency rates remain high. Against the backdrop of high living costs, improving affordability may become a key factor for the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections.

In this article, we will analyze the default risks in the U.S. by focusing on credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages, examining whether these risks can remain manageable amid inflation crises, tariff shocks, and a K-shaped economy.

1. Credit Cards and Auto Loans: High Delinquency Rates, but Expected to Improve

First, we focus on the rising delinquency rates in credit cards and auto loans, discussing from two perspectives: overall leverage health and detailed delinquency data.

Overall Leverage Health: No Significant Pressure on the Private Sector

Despite the intense discussions about U.S. debt issues, it’s important to note that the structural debt burden mainly affects the government sector, not the private sector. According to the Federal Reserve’s semiannual Financial Stability Report, in recent years, corporate and household debt as a percentage of GDP has continued to decline. Household debt relative to disposable income has fallen to its lowest level since the 2000s. Additionally, the proportion of household debt payments to personal disposable income remains at a low level not seen in nearly 20 years, indicating that private sector leverage is healthy and there is no urgent need for deleveraging.

Delinquency Rates: Early Signs of Improvement Are Emerging

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                            Click on questions to get answers from MM AI
                        

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                                            When will credit card and auto loan delinquencies improve?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 The delinquency situation for credit cards and auto loans is expected to improve this year. The upward trend in mild delinquencies has weakened, credit card delinquency rates have fallen across all income groups, and middle-to-high income auto loan borrowers have stabilized. These are leading indicators approaching their peaks.
                                        

                                    

                                
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                                            Why has the leverage health of the U.S. private sector shown no pressure?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 The private sector’s leverage remains healthy because corporate and household debt as a percentage of GDP has continued to decline, household debt is at its lowest since the 2000s, and household debt payments as a share of disposable income stay at a 20-year low.
                                        

                                    

                                
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                                            Why have U.S. mortgage delinquencies remained low over the long term?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 U.S. mortgage delinquency rates have remained low mainly because housing demand stopped deteriorating and rebounded since 2023, inventory and vacancy rates are stable, and structural changes post-2008—such as stricter risk controls and reduced floating-rate borrowing—have contributed.
                                        

                                    

                                
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                                            How has the Fed’s rate cuts affected the housing market momentum?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 As the rate cut cycle began at the end of 2024, data from MBA mortgage applications show that applications for home purchases and refinancing have been rising since 2025, indicating that the rate cuts are effectively boosting housing market activity.
                                        

                                    

                                
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                                            What is the current situation of housing inventory and vacancy rates?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 Although new home inventory is high, the inventory of existing homes accounting for over 80% remains at historically low levels, indicating a healthy overall housing market structure. Vacancy rates are stable, with sale vacancy rates at historic lows, and rental vacancy rates have recently slowed in growth but remain low.
                                        

                                    

                                
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                                            How do Trump administration policies impact the housing market and low- to middle-income families?
                                        
                                        

                                            💡 The Trump administration’s policies are shifting toward “Make America Affordable Again,” introducing measures such as banning institutional investors from buying single-family homes and encouraging the purchase of MBS to lower mortgage rates, which help stabilize home prices and support consumption among low- and middle-income households.
                                        



                
                
                

                

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