December mortgage jump establish record - 2004-01-30
The annual rate of private sector credit growth slowed down in December, but there was a record jump in residential mortgage lending.

Figures from the Central Bank show that the overall annual growth rate slowed to 17.9% from 18.3% in November, but mortgage lending growth moved up to 25.7% from 25.5% in November.
Read the full story at OnBusiness

Piling America with unhealthy debt - 2004-01-30
Why should you be concerned about our government's record $500-billion debt? Because there is no free lunch. When your spending increases more than your paycheck, eventually you'll pay the price.

Debt, per se, isn't bad. Any homeowner with a mortgage will attest to that. The key is how much debt. With the U.S. government, this isn't a pretty picture. If President Bush extends the tax cuts, we'll see red ink for years that will curtail the government's ability to pay for critical services.
Read the full story at Miami Herald