Episodes
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The Equifax advisory team reviews the U.S. economy in 2024, discussing key developments and their implications for lenders and consumers. Jesse Hardin, Em Aliff, Tom O'Neill, Dave Sojka, and Maria Urtubey explore interest rates, inflation, housing, labor trends, and consumer credit.
The Federal Reserve's rate cuts aimed to cool inflation and support affordability, yet high borrowing costs persisted, impacting home purchases and refinances. The labor market showed resilience, with steady job creation, but challenges like rising unemployment and slower hiring added complexity. Consumer behaviors reflected cautious optimism as high credit card rates and rising debt levels strained budgets.
The panel revisits their 2024 predictions and look ahead to 2025’s economic landscape.
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Host Tom O'Neill sits down with Equifax’s Chief Strategy Officer, Ian Wright, to discuss strategies for growing and protecting deposits in today’s competitive financial landscape. With traditional banks, fintechs, and neobanks all vying for deposit share, how can institutions gain a competitive edge? Ian shares insights on leveraging financial data to identify valuable customer segments, including young affluents and high earners, and how banks can nurture loyalty with targeted strategies.
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The Risk Advisor team at Equifax discusses the recent 50 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve and its wide-reaching impact on the U.S. economy. Topics including consumer sentiment, the housing and auto markets, and the lending landscape offer valuable insights into how these changes will affect both households and financial institutions. The panel also explores potential challenges ahead, including the federal deficit and global economic factors.
In this episode:
Overview of recent Fed rate cut (50 basis points)Impact of the rate cut on the U.S. economyConsumer sentiment and its effect on household spendingEffects of rate cuts on household debt, budgeting, and savingsInfluence on the housing market (mortgages, refinancing, HELOCs)Impact of rate cuts on credit card users and auto loansLending institutions’ response to rate cuts (funding, credit, and lending standards)Deposits and savings rates amidst a changing interest rate environmentU.S. government's economic challenges (federal deficit and budget)Global economic factors, including conflicts and their effects on the U.S. marketOutlook for the U.S. financial system -
In this illuminating panel discussion, Tom Aliff, Risk Advisors Leader at Equifax, delves into key economic concerns and forecasts with economists Amy Crews Cutts, President at AC Cutts and Associates LLC; Robert Wescott, Founder and President of Keybridge; and Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody's Analytics. They explore the implications of budget deficits on interest rates, with varying views on how these factors might influence economic growth and policy decisions. The conversation covers potential Fed rate actions, the impact of global events like the conflict in Ukraine and China's economic slowdown, and the differing economic visions of the U.S. presidential candidates.
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Bob Homer, General Manager and VP of Insurance and Alliances at Equifax, and Stephen Crewdson, Senior Director of Global Business Intelligence at JD Power, discuss the sharp rise in home and auto insurance premiums, driven by both economic and social inflation, and the impact on consumer affordability and behavior. Bob and Stephen explore how insurers are responding to these challenges, including staffing reductions, ad spend cuts, and proactive communication with customers.
In this episode:
· Rising Insurance Premiums: Post-pandemic premium surge and reasons behind it
· Economic and Social Inflation: Impact on insurance costs from inflation and litigation
· Consumer Impact and Behavior: Response to higher premiums, increased shopping, uninsured drivers
· Insurer Responses: Managing affordability with staffing, ad spend cuts, communication
· Customer Trust and Satisfaction: Effect of rising premiums on trust and relationships
· Popularity and benefits of usage-based insurance policies
· Predictions and strategies for managing insurance affordability
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts, and analysis.Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your business make more confident decisions.Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected] -
The Equifax Risk Advisors team explores the complexities of the current economic landscape, discussing key topics such as the K-shaped recovery, inflation's impact on consumer sentiment, and rising delinquency rates. They also respond to recent comments by economists on trends in consumer spending, credit risk, and the nuanced effects of economic policies.
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With 93% of small business owners anticipating growth, the timing of potential Fed interest rate cuts remains a critical factor. Sarah Briscoe, lead commercial statistical analyst at Equifax, sheds light on the latest trends in small business lending, delinquency, and default rates, highlighting the unique insights from the Equifax small business indices.
In this episode:
What small business indices data shows about lending activity and defaultsFactors small and commercial businesses should be watching in current economic climateState and industry level trends that stand outHow commercial businesses can incorporate small business indices into their decision makingConnect with Sarah Briscoe at [email protected]
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts, and analysis.Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your business make more confident decisions.Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected] -
Our all-female panel of financial experts answer your burning questions about consumer credit, loan performance, and economic trends shaping affordability. Our panelists including Amy Crews Cutts, president and chief economist at AC Cutts & Associates, and Equifax’s own Maria Urtubey, Anna Fisher, and Mariette de Meillon address questions submitted during the March Market Pulse webinar.
In this episode:
Deep dive into credit trendsCredit scores and loan performanceUtilization and delinquenciesInsights on delinquent loans and consumer profilesPandemic impact and consumer spendingStudent loan debt and consumer behaviorStrategies: Adapting credit models post-pandemicInnovative approaches in credit risk management -
Join the Risk Advisors Group at Equifax as they discuss the current state and future trends of interest rates and their profound impact on the U.S. economy. The conversation delves into the Federal Reserve's strategies in response to inflation and economic shifts, exploring how these changes affect various sectors including banking, mortgages, and auto financing.
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Scott McMahon, alliance manager for Automotive Partnerships at Equifax, leads a panel discussion on current trends, the rising challenge of fraud in the automotive space, and the industry's outlook, with a special focus on consumer affordability and the evolving electric vehicle (EV) market. His esteemed panel includes Steve Greenfield, general partner at Automotive Ventures; Marguerite Watanabe, president of Connections Insights; and Jeremy Robb, senior director of Economics and Insights at Cox Automotive.
In this episode:
Growing concerns and types of fraud in the automotive industryThe transition of the automotive industry into a more digital realmAnalysis of current economic factors influencing the auto marketPredictions on short-term consumer behaviors and market trendsEV market trends and future prospects
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts, and analysis.Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your business make more confident decisions.Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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We’re joined by Jeff Richardson from VantageScore to discuss how inflation is impacting households. We dig into factors contributing to rising delinquencies, the expected continuation of this trend, and the impact on different consumer segments. Additionally, we address the role of stimulus on credit scores and the strategies that organizations should have in place for confident decision-making.
In this episode:
· Overview of VantageScore
· Factors contributing to rising delinquencies
· Two different consumer segments
· Impact of stimulus on credit scores
· Credit decisioning strategies
· Incorporating AI into decision making
· Opportunities of differentiated data
Jeff hosts the SCORE podcast where he interviews the new leaders shaping the credit industry, like journalists, academics, and researchers. So be sure to check that out.
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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The Equifax Risk Advisory practice explores various aspects of risk management, from evaluating and mitigating risks to implementing strategies that align with institutional goals and risk tolerance. This episode is a must-listen for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of risk management in today's complex economic landscape.
In this episode:
· Role of the Equifax chief risk officer
· The focus on delinquencies
· Role of risk manager for cards
· Implementing policies to manage credit risk for credit card issuers
· Role of risk analyst
· How economic challenges like a rise in delinquencies impact risk analysis
· Role of chief collection officer
· How the changing economic landscape impacts the chief collection officer
· Biggest challenges for chief risk officer
· Go-to competitive advantages of credit risk manager
· Fulfilling the business goals and targets of an organization
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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Host Dave Sojka and the Equifax Risk Advisors team delve into the intricacies of affordability in the current economic landscape. The discussion covers a range of topics, including the impact of rising debt, inflation, and changing consumer behaviors on consumers' ability to afford housing, automobiles, and insurance.
In this episode:
· Consumer holiday spending
· Consumer spending spikes
· Consumer Price Index and inflation
· Auto market
· New home and rent affordability
· Insurance affordability
· Consumer health by generation
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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Did economic predictions for this year pan out? And what themes will dominate 2024? Join our Risk Advisory team as they assess how the economic outlook has really impacted consumers and industries.
In this episode:
Revisiting economic trendsTransitory inflationConsumer spendingLabor MarketAuto IndustryBanking and LendingBNPL and regulationCredit UnionsThemes for 2024Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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In part three of the Consumer Stress series from the Equifax Risk Advisory team, our experts discuss the impact of the economic and credit environment on consumer holiday spending. They cover various angles, including economic uncertainties, the transition from physical to online stores, the U.S. economic outlook, highlights of the holiday spending outlook, consumer financial options, and the international economic outlook.
In this episode:
Connections between consumer stress and salesEconomic uncertainties and transition to online shopping Highlights of the holiday spending outlookConsumer financial options, including BNPLConsidering the international economic outlookResources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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David Fieldhouse, Director of Consumer Credit Analytics at Moody's Analytics, provides his economic outlook for 2024. Discussing critical factors shaping the U.S. economy, we cover the end of the student loan payment moratorium to the surge in long-term interest rates, the delicate balance of treasury yields, as well as business and consumer recommendations for navigating uncertainties in the coming months.
In this episode:
· Deep dive into economic challenges
· Student loan payment moratorium end
· Long-term interest rates surge
· Interest rates and economic outlook
· Unpacking the 5% treasury yield
· Economic headwinds and GDP impact
· Resilience amidst challenges
· Bright spots in the economy
· Recommendations for businesses and consumers
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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Lenders can use targeted consumer data to drive daily decision making. The Equifax Risk Advisory panel of experts discuss how to dig beyond the macroeconomic indicators to determine exactly where consumer stresses lie. Our panel includes David Sojka, Jesse Hardin, Maria Urtubey, Thomas Aliff and host, Tom O’Neill.
In this episode:
· Economists and consumers have diverging views on the economy
· Specific consumer stresses
· Statistics on consumer stresses
· What data can reveal about consumer stresses
Resources:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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Consumers are increasingly facing credit and financial stress. Our panel of Equifax experts including Tom O’Neill, Tom Aliff, Dave Sojka and Jesse Hardin, discuss the factors contributing to consumer stress and the nuances that lenders should consider when evaluating consumers. This is the first part in a series on the topic of consumer stress.
In this episode:
· Economic factors contributing to consumer stress
· Why consumer stress is nuanced
· Do news headlines add stress to consumers?
· What are economists forecasting for the rest of the year and 2024?
· How should lenders distinguish the impacts on different consumers?
RESOURCES:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
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Colleges and universities are facing declining enrollment rates, mounting regulatory pressure, the resumption of student loan payments, the reversal of affirmative action in admissions – and having to prove the ROI of a college degree. Lori Lindenberg, District Director of Enterprise Analytics and Strategy at Maricopa Community Colleges, joins us to discuss how Maricopa is addressing these challenges, while delivering on their student-first mission.
In today’s episode:
· How Maricopa is trying to reduce wage inequality for minority groups
· Steps Maricopa is taking to address college affordability concerns
· Anticipating and navigating government regulation
· Driving efficiency and accuracy in reporting for accreditation, national education data collection programs and governing board reports
· Effects of student loan repayments on proving your ROI
RESOURCES:
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
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In this time of economic uncertainty, it’s important that lenders focus on account management strategies to detect hidden risk in their portfolios. In this episode, our Risk Advisory panel discusses the most important thing lenders need to be doing right now when it comes to account management.
In this episode:
· Understanding the value of a customer
· Ensuring your account management strategy compliments your adjudication strategy
· Frequency of account monitoring to minimize risk
· Is the cost and effort worth it?
· Should you consider alternative data?
· How lenders develop new strategies for unique situations, such as the student debt repayments
Resources:
Fintech Solutions: Discover how our rich data, predictive analytics and cloud-native technologies can help fintechs successfully target and acquire more customers, mitigate fraud and make better business decisions.
CreditForecast.com is a joint venture between Equifax and Moody’s Analytics. Get actionable consumer credit, economic and demographic data, forecasts and analysis.
Register for Market Pulse webinars to get relevant economic and credit insights to help your
business make more confident decisions.
Learn more about our Market Pulse podcast, and contact us at [email protected]
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