Q4 2023 Experian/Oxford Economics Main Street Report

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.