The mainstream media is trying to scare you again... This time, the fear-mongering headlines focus on out-of-control credit-card debt.

Record Credit-Card Debt Isn't as Bad as It Sounds By Briton Hill, analyst, Chaikin Analytics The mainstream media is trying to scare you again... This time, the fear-mongering headlines focus on out-of-control credit-card debt. You might've seen stories in recent weeks about this type of debt reaching a record level of nearly $1 trillion. That's a staggering number. These articles are usually full of rhetoric about how that spells trouble for the economy. And they talk about how it's a key sign of danger for the average American consumer. Now, it's true that credit-card debt is at a record high. But as I'll show you today, that isn't as bad as the media makes it seem... Recommended Links: 73-year-old market signal (95% accuracy) just flashed This signal has flashed just 24 times in the last 73 years. And it's signaled the exact moment to move your money with 95% accuracy. Now, it's flashing again. Discover where here. Big 2023 Bankruptcy Warning U.S. corporate bankruptcies are now at a 12-year high... but according to the world-renowned forensic accountant who called the 2008 and 2020 crashes months in advance, this surge of bankruptcies is just getting started. In fact, he says there's one popular stock that could go bankrupt in a matter of WEEKS. It's one of his top SELL recommendations today. Click here for full story. Let's start with a chart from the Federal Reserve. It shows the total credit-card debt for U.S. consumers over the past decade. Take a look... As you can see, credit-card debt equaled about $845 billion at the start of 2020. Today, it's at more than $988 billion. That's a roughly 17% gain over the past three and a half years. But the thing is, the mainstream media fails to mention something important... Inflation. Since early 2020, inflation is also up around 17%. That means you would need $117 today to buy the same amount of goods that $100 bought you before the COVID-19 pandemic. That's not good for U.S. consumers. But it cuts both ways... And at the end of the day, it also means a dollar of credit-card debt today isn't as much as a dollar of credit-card debt was three years ago. We need to adjust for inflation... Since inflation is up 17%, $845 billion in 2020 is equal to $988 billion in 2023 terms. That means in "real" terms... we're in the same spot with credit-card debt as before the pandemic. So when it comes to credit-card debt, it's not as bad as the mainstream media makes it seem. Rising inflation is skewing the numbers, which is making the problem look worse. Here's another thing to consider... Only 10% of Americans use cash as their primary payment method. And 76% of U.S. consumers have at least one credit card. Folks, we simply live in an age of electronic payment methods. Most people don't carry cash like they used to. And collectively, credit cards offer perks and protections that many debit cards and cash don't. The end result is simple... More people are turning to credit cards to make everyday purchases. As long as they can manage that debt, things will be just fine. It's true that credit-card debt is at a record high in terms of U.S. dollars. But that fact doesn't reflect the whole story... Inflation means a dollar today is worth less than a dollar a few years ago. And consumers are increasingly turning to electronic payment methods over cash as well. Much of what the mainstream media says is alarming. But it's important to take a step back and look at the picture in a different light... When you do that in this case, you'll see that it isn't as bad as it seems at first. Good investing, Briton Hill Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral     Bearish Dow 30 -0.57% 8 19 3 S&P 500 -0.19% 144 262 93 Nasdaq +0.07% 53 38 9 Small Caps -1.37% 479 924 471 Bonds -0.19% — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks and Large Cap stocks are somewhat Bullish. Major indexes are mixed. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Discretionary +3.62% Materials +2.98% Real Estate +2.63% Health Care +2.58% Industrials +1.93% Communication +1.87% Financial +1.59% Utilities +1.30% Energy +0.79% Information Technology +0.70% Staples -0.10% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Oil & Gas Equipment Services 0 19 14 Over the past 6 months, the Oil & Gas Equipment Services subsector (XES) has underperformed the S&P 500 by -11.15%. Its Power Bar ratio, which measures future potential, is Very Weak, with more Bearish than Bullish stocks. It is currently ranked #21 of 21 subsectors. Indicative Stocks RIG Transocean Ltd. SLB Schlumberger Limited VAL Valaris Limited *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers BBWI +5.54% FTNT +4.61% PAYC +4.30% EXPE +3.52% CZR +3.10% Losers EPAM -21.72% CHRW -6.42% INTC -4.63% MMM -4.44% DG -4.36% *  *  *  * Earnings Report Reporting Today Rating Before Open After Close CIEN, CNM THO CASY SJM No earnings reporting today. Earnings Surprises SAIC Science Applications International Corporation Q1 $2.14 Beat by $0.33 HQY HealthEquity, Inc. Q1 $0.37 Beat by $0.02 *  *  *  * You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to PowerFeed. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from PowerFeed, click here. You're receiving this e-mail at indra21poetra@gmail.com. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, call +1 (877) 697-6783 (U.S.), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time or e-mail info@chaikinanalytics.com. Please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized investment advice. © 2023 Chaikin Analytics, LLC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Chaikin Analytics, LLC. 201 King Of Prussia Rd., Suite 650, Radnor, PA 19087. www.chaikinanalytics.com. Any brokers mentioned constitute a partial list of available brokers and is for your information only. Chaikin Analytics, LLC, does not recommend or endorse any brokers, dealers, or investment advisors. Chaikin Analytics forbids its writers from having a financial interest in any security they recommend to our subscribers. All employees of Chaikin Analytics, LLC (and affiliated companies) must wait 24 hours after an investment recommendation is published online – or 72 hours after a direct mail publication is sent – before acting on that recommendation. This work is based on SEC filings, current events, interviews, corporate press releases, and what we've learned as financial journalists. It may contain errors, and you shouldn't make any investment decision based solely on what you read here. It's your money and your responsibility.