Global debt soared to a record $233 trillion in the third quarter of 2017, according to a report from the Institute of International Finance. That marked a $16.5 trillion — or 8% — increase from the end of 2016. It also reflected record highs for private non-financial sector debt in Canada, France, Hong Kong, Korea, Switzerland, and Turkey. One possible side effect of this massive debt burden could be a reluctance from central banks to tighten lending conditions, says the IIF. They point out in the report that because a prolonged low-interest-rate environment contributed to the swelling of debt levels, sovereign ... (full story)