US personal bankruptcies rocket up

The Administrative Office of the US Courts claims that mounting consumer debt has contributed to the figures. Personal bankruptcy cases accounted for 97.6% of all US bankruptcy cases.

And despite a spate of high-profile corporate bankruptcy filings, business bankruptcies declined by 4%, to 38,540.

The US consumer debt behind the increases rose to an all-time high of $1.7 trillion (£1,000bn), with revolving debt accounting for $711bn of that amount.