Business news for Mon, 24 Dec 2007 & with words americans+facing. 2 news.

During a Dec. 7 symposium conducted by the Urban League of Philadelphia, a panel of public policy makers, academics and opinion leaders talked about the problems facing African Americans and potential solutions. The discussion came on the date of the release of the State of Black Philadelphia report (See highlights on facing page), which assessed the state of blacks in the city in several categories, including economics and health. Panelists pointed out that African Americans are the largest racial group in the city, at 44 percent, followed by whites at 42 percent.

Americans are falling behind on their credit card payments at an alarming rate, sending delinquencies and defaults surging by double-digit percentages in the last year and prompting warnings of worse to come.