Personal Finance Daily: Credit-card use is back on the rise

	Personal Finance Daily DECEMBER 14, 2012 Friday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: As credit card use rises, many face red Christmas Post-Sandy, a surge in flood insurance America runs on bacon and blueberry muffins Will deficit reduction crush stocks? Consumers are taking on more credit-card debt — including subprime borrowers, Jennifer Waters writes today. That's because banks want to lend again, but there isn't much demand from prime consumers. Read more about that trend in today's Personal Finance pages. Plus, learn how there has been a surge in flood insurance applications after Hurricane Sandy, find out why nutritionists are worried about the increase in sales of breakfast foods and read a Robert Powell column on how to protect your retirement next year. —Amy Hoak , assistant editor As credit card use rises, many face red Christmas Here comes the credit-card crunch again. Consumers, and increasingly subprime borrowers, are taking on more debt and could find themselves slipping back into the black — or rather the red — hole of financial distress. As credit card use rises, many face red Christmas. How to protect your retirement in 2013 Come December, there's typically no shortage of experts forecasting about the year to come: "Clouds of uncertainty," "sunglasses required," etc. How to protect your retirement in 2013. Post-Sandy, a surge in flood insurance Insurance agents and brokers say calls from homeowners inquiring or applying for flood insurance—which isn't included in standard homeowner's-insurance policies—have picked up since Sandy hit the East Coast in October. Most of the demand is coming from clients in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Post-Sandy, a surge in flood insurance. America runs on bacon and blueberry muffins Why nutritionists are worried about the rise in breakfast sales. America runs on bacon and blueberry muffins. Will deficit reduction crush stocks? With or without a fiscal cliff, solving the government's budget woes will mean lower profits and falling share prices. Will deficit reduction crush stocks? 5 blind spots for index investors They may be cheap and easy to use, but they also have their downsides. 5 blind spots for index investors. ECONOMY AND POLITICS The 2 million unemployed who may hit fiscal cliff Get inside the data released this week with this graphical analysis, which shows improving signs in the jobs market and a hint of optimism in manufacturing. The 2 million unemployed who may hit fiscal cliff. Hurricane-hit production recovers in November The output of the nation's factories, mines and utilities recovered in November after a sharp drop in the prior month. But the swings in the data mainly reflect effects of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane-hit production recovers in November. U.S. consumer prices decline in November U.S. consumers paid less for goods and services in November, mainly because of the falling cost of gas. U.S. consumer prices decline in November. INVESTING 3 unloved dividend stocks to watch in 2013 McDonald's, Intel and Microsoft pay a steady dividend and have cash to increase shareholder payouts, but investors have been giving these and other blue-chip companies the cold shoulder. But these stocks are worth considering heading into 2013, writes Matt Andrejczak. 3 unloved dividend stocks to watch in 2013. The physics of Wall Street Here we are, four years after the great financial collapse, and nobody seems to have a clue how to prevent it from happening again. Except for a young physicist with a book and a big idea, Al Lewis reports. The physics of Wall Street. If Santa Claus had run Israel's Treasury It has been three decades since socialists radically reformed a capitalist economy, nationalizing its 40 major institutions. If Santa Claus had run Israel's Treasury. Leading indicators of a stock-market top A top in the stock market may be closer than you think. That, at least, is the sobering conclusion Mark Hulbert found after analyzing the relative performance of the market's various sectors prior to other peaks. Leading indicators of a stock-market top. What 2012's winners and losers say about 2013 Finding the trends among this year's best and worst stocks and what that means for 2013. What 2012's winners and losers say about 2013. Buffett, Bogle, Buddha: 3 wise men at Christmas Christmas is a perfect time to share the good feelings, especially what's coming from my three wise men of investing: Buffett, Bogle and Buddha. Buffett, Bogle, Buddha: 3 wise men at Christmas. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. 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