All posts by Gary.Stockton@experian.com
Main Street Report Q2 2026: Experian's small business credit analysis reveals a K-shaped economy, rising subprime debt, regional delinquency.
Experian takes a snapshot of the Construction Industry before the effects of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act take hold.
A path forward after SBA discontinued the use of the FICO Small Business Scoring Service (“SBSS”) for 7(a) Small Loan underwriting.
Experian experts present the small business economic review - a deep dive on small business credit health.
Small businesses navigated headwinds in May as uncertainty began to rise May 2026 Index Value (Mar): 51.2 Previous Month: 52.2 MoM: -1.0 YoY: +6.0 (May 2025 = 57.2) The Experian Small Business Index™ decreased slightly, falling 1 point to 51.2 in May, but remained 6 points higher than a year ago. Several credit risk factors supported the index in May. Past-due balances on business owners' consumer accounts declined, as did later-stage delinquencies on their commercial accounts. However, several factors weighed on the index. Commercial credit utilization increased, and there was a sharp rise in consumer public records filings. While public records are typically a lagging indicator, this trend warrants monitoring in the coming months. In the broader economy, the unemployment rate declined to 4.2% from 4.3%, and GDP grew by 2.1%, exceeding expectations. Several measures of inflation also increased in May. Headline inflation rose from 3.8% in April to 4.2%, while core inflation, which excludes food and energy, increased from 2.8% to 2.9%. Energy prices were 23.5% higher than a year earlier and likely contributed to broader inflationary pressures. Food prices declined 0.1%, while rent increased 0.1%. Business formation remained strong, with 524,000 new business applications filed in May, up from 505,000 in April. This occurred despite the NFIB Uncertainty Index increasing to 91. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index edged down to 95.3 in May from 95.9 in April. Explore Experian Small Business Index Related Posts
Small business lending is evolving. Experian uncovers who's being left out and where the biggest commercial credit opportunities are hiding.
Discover key Leisure & Hospitality trends, including 181% growth in credit inquiries, record travel demand, and insights for risk leaders.
First-party fraud is rising across commercial lending. Learn how fraud trends, AI, and dark web activity are reshaping fraud risk management.
The Experian Small Business Index gained 3 points in April, driven by strong business formation, increased business credit demand.
