Welcome to the Experian Thought Leadership Hub

In our Q1 Lending Conditions Chartbook, we break down the latest economic trends and dive deep into credit conditions across products and regions.

Insights include:

• The labor market appears on decent footing but there are signs of slowing.
• Credit growth remains subdued and is running below its pre-pandemic average as financial institutions maintain tight lending standards and interest rates remain elevated.
• Looking at origination activity, there has been a meaningful pickup among fintechs and in unsecured personal loans.

Explore state-level and industry level data that banks, credit unions and fintechs can leverage to track the downturn and be correctly positioned for the recovery in this monthly report.

The escalating trade war and rising economic uncertainty are causing businesses and lenders to adopt a cautious approach, potentially slowing investment and hiring. If this trend continues, the economy could face long-term risks, including reduced lending, weaker job growth, and increased vulnerability to unemployment spikes. Insights include:

• Business investment was already slowing before the trade war, and uncertainty is now at an all-time high.
• Banks may tighten lending further due to rising business delinquency and unrealized losses in securities portfolios.
• The labor market, while stable, is struggling with low hiring rates, making it harder to absorb job seekers.
• A prolonged decline in business investment could trigger higher unemployment if layoffs accelerate.

While the U.S. economy continues to outperform expectations, the labor market remains solid and consumers are well-positioned, there remain a few challenges ahead in 2025 that could cloud the economic outlook including potential inflationary pressures and continued affordability issues in the housing market. As these trends play out over the course of the year, businesses must stay on top of the latest economic developments.

Experian’s Chief UK Economist Mohammed Chaudhri’s latest report shares his forecast for the rest of the year and beyond with insights into the latest economic trends and developments.

Key themes and emerging trends shaping financial services in 2025, using research and insight from leading industry analysts. Themes include:

• Fraud evolution driven by AI
  
• AI will play a transformative role in banking
  
• Emergence of RegTech
  
• Convergence of risk management

While all eyes are on the impact of tariffs, immigration policy, and other proposals coming out of the new administration, the five key trends that I’ll be watching in 2025 have been playing out over the last couple of years and will be important to how the economy and lending market unfolds in the year ahead.

Trends include:

• The slowdown in the “white-collar” job market
• The stabilization of consumer delinquency
• The letting up of lending standard tightening

Explore state-level and industry level data that banks, credit unions and fintechs can leverage to track the downturn and be correctly positioned for the recovery in this monthly report.

Experian's State of Credit Unions Report explores data-driven credit trends in the credit union space, with a particular focus on auto loans, unsecured personal loans and unsecured credit cards.

Take a deep dive into:

• Trends in originations and delinquencies among credit union members
• How credit unions fare against other financial institutions
• Strategies to attract new members and mitigate portfolio risk

As we enter 2025, the mortgage industry continues to transform amid political and economic changes. Mortgage lenders must stay updated on trends to serve their customers effectively. Experian data scientists and analysts provide insights into the U.S. housing market's impact on lenders, highlighting recent trends and their implications. We aim to offer a comprehensive overview of the mortgage market, emphasizing key trends, regional differences, and potential growth areas.

• Market Trends: Understand the latest trends in mortgage originations, delinquencies, and interest rate fluctuations.
• Regional Insights: Explore regional variations in housing market activity and home equity levels.
• Strategic Recommendations: Get actionable insights to navigate the dynamic mortgage market in 2025.