00:00It's Benzinga, bringing Wall Street to Main Street.
00:02U.S. margin debt rose again in December, extending a record streak in investor leverage for a seventh
00:07consecutive month, according to data from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
00:13Margin debt increased 0.9% from November to $1.23 trillion,
00:18marking the eighth straight monthly gain and a 36.3% increase from a year earlier.
00:23The rise has continued as the S&P 500 has flattened near recent highs,
00:28a combination that can amplify market stress during pullbacks.
00:32FINRA rules allow investors to borrow against securities, but require minimum equity levels,
00:37triggering margin calls and forced liquidations if prices fall.
00:41Net investor credit remains deeply negative, showing limited cash buffers.
00:46Trump raised credit card rate caps in Davos,
00:48drawing criticism from JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
00:52For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
