Experian Main Street Report

Q4 report findings

Like the age-old story of the tortoise and the hare, the U.S. seems to have adopted the “slow and steady” philosophy, closing out 2025 on a steady but slower trajectory. Growth continued through the fourth quarter, with real GDP rising at a 1.4% annualized rate, signaling ongoing expansion even as momentum eased from highs earlier in the year. As the new year began, there were encouraging signs of relief with inflation easing to 2.4% in January and unemployment holding at a relatively low 4.3%, reinforcing the picture of a resilient labor market.

About the report

Experian Main Street Report brings deep insight into the overall financial well-being of the small-business landscape, as well as provides commentary on what specific trends mean for credit grantors and the small-business community. Critical factors in the Main Street Report include a combination of business credit data (credit balances, delinquency rates, utilization rates, etc.) and macroeconomic information (employment rates, income, retail sales, industrial production, etc.).