The United States’ biggest credit card issuer (by purchases) also said that write-offs for uncollectible loans were down 7.8% year-over-year, versus 8.4% in September. Total loans that are at least 30 days past due stood flat at 4.1%. American Express forecasts that spending trends will improve in the fourth quarter of 2009 over the third quarter, when total card spending was down 11% y-o-y.