Welcome to the Experian Thought Leadership Hub

Experian's latest Commercial Pulse Report highlights how risk profiles vary significantly by industry and business age.

🔹 New businesses in sectors like Construction and Food Services face higher delinquency rates, signaling elevated credit risks.
🔹 Meanwhile, industries like Retail and Healthcare maintain stable performance, regardless of business maturity—offering balanced opportunities for lenders.

Understanding these dynamics is critical for tailoring lending strategies, mitigating risk, and supporting business growth across industries.

Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!

Subscribe to Commercial Pulse Report

Watch the recording of the Quarterly Business Credit Review webinar, where Experian shared and discussed critical insights from the latest Main Street Report.

Why you should watch:

• Leading Experts on Commercial and Macro-Economic Trends
• Credit insights and trends on 30+ Million active businesses
• Industry Hot Topics Covered (Inclusive of Business Owner and Small Business Data)
• Commercial Insights you cannot get anywhere else 
• Peer Insights with Interactive Polls (Participate)
• Discover and understand small business trends to make informed decisions
• Actionable takeaways based on recent credit performance

Visit our Commercial Insights Hub for more economic insights and reports on small business. 

The U.S. (United States) has been in a state of suspended animation from a small business perspective. The domestic election cycle was full of promises focused on government spending to resolve consumer and small business perceived challenges for the next four years. As we emerge from the election cycle, with a clean transition expected, what rhetoric will become a reality is creating uncertainty among lenders and small businesses. Macroeconomic indicators are leaning positive, while stubborn inflation increases prices and borrowing costs. Lenders are targeting a looser environment for underwriting as cashflows remain positive and small businesses feel the rush of holiday shopping. Growth is coming in 2025; the question is how quickly companies can prepare and maneuver through the next 6 months of policy and global volatility.

The November 2024 Commercial Pulse Report is here, and it’s packed with critical data on the construction sector’s resilience and the challenges ahead.

🔑 Key Highlights:

• Businesses are shifting from term loans to commercial credit cards for greater flexibility.
• Delinquencies in construction remain lower than other industries, showcasing financial strength.
• High housing demand continues to fuel opportunities despite rising costs and tight credit.

Whether you're navigating financing strategies or tracking industry growth, these insights are a must-read for construction professionals and business analysts.

📥 Download the full report now and stay ahead of the trends shaping the construction landscape.

Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!

Subscribe to Commercial Pulse Report

As we head into the holiday season, Experian’s latest Commercial Pulse Report reveals significant trends shaping the retail sector:

🔹 25% increase in credit demand among retail businesses, as companies boost inventory for expected holiday sales.

🔹 Discretionary retail sectors like home goods face tighter lending, while Consumer Electronics and Department Stores are nearing pre-pandemic credit levels.

🔹 Retail delinquency rates and charge-offs are rising, putting pressure on commercial credit scores.

These insights highlight both opportunities and challenges for retailers navigating today’s economy. Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!

Subscribe to Commercial Pulse Report

As the U.S. economy cools, small businesses face the dual pressures of year-end operations and the holiday season. Consumer spending has exceeded expectations, driven by savings depletion and increased reliance on credit, particularly among Gen Z—a trend raising concerns about long-term credit health. However, rising costs for essential expenses are beginning to constrain spending power, alongside slowing consumer sentiment ahead of an election cycle marked by uncertainty. Despite these challenges, small businesses are preparing for the holidays with optimism, building inventories to capture year-end growth. Credit markets remain accessible, with looser lending criteria offering a supportive backdrop. As the economy aims for a soft landing, small businesses have a chance to close the year on a positive note.

Subscribe to this quarterly report here or follow our full suite of quarterly insights on our Commercial Insights Hub.

The excitement of a U.S. Election cycle in the fall, a cooling economy, rising unemployment, and a turbulent international landscape all play into a fall filled with anxious sentiment but stable cash flows. The economy has been humming at a stable pace over the last two quarters. Consumers have been spending their wage gains while not overleveraging their cards. This stability in the market has led small businesses to operate in the U.S. at pace with expectations. Growth has been slow as credit markets, although open, have tightened underwriting policies that limit both the consumer and small business from gaining access to low-cost funding to enter a season of true growth in the U.S. The economy is cooling, and the market expectations for a Federal Funds Rate cut are rising.

U.S. small businesses are navigating a mixed economic climate in 2024, balancing optimism with persistent challenges. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index reflects growing confidence, rising to 69.5, with 73% of businesses anticipating higher revenues and 46% planning increased investments. However, inflation remains a pressing concern for 55% of businesses, compounded by worker shortages, rising insurance costs, and wage pressures. Despite these obstacles, stable cash flows and increasing adoption of AI for efficiency and cost reduction offer hope. To sustain growth, businesses must prioritize operational efficiency and secure affordable funding to weather the economic heat.

Subscribe to this quarterly report here or follow our full suite of quarterly insights on our Commercial Insights Hub.

The U.S. small business sector faces a pivotal moment as it reflects on a year marked by economic resilience and cautious optimism. Despite widespread fears of a recession in 2023, consumer spending held steady, even amid rising costs. Business owners managed to navigate inflationary pressures, surprising themselves with customer willingness to adapt to price increases. Looking ahead to 2024, the economic outlook remains strong, but persistent inflation and uncertain lending conditions pose challenges. For small business owners contemplating growth, the question remains: is the economic landscape stable enough to transform plans into action? This edition explores the opportunities and uncertainties facing small businesses as they weigh expansion against ongoing market volatility.

Subscribe to this quarterly report here or follow our full suite of quarterly insights on our Commercial Insights Hub.