Consumer credit rose moderately in February.

Americans took out $1.77 billion more in consumer credit than they paid off in February, an increase that was still far below the hefty gains recorded last year, the Federal Reserve Board reported. The Fed said the February increase was more than double the $789 million rise in January but still well below gains that averaged close to $4 billion a month last year. The February increase translated into an annual growth rate of 3.7%, compared to an annual rate of 1.6% in January.