Experian announced that it has joined forces with Moody’s Analytics to create a business index and detailed report that provides insight into the health of U.S. businesses. The new Experian/Moody’s Analytics Small Business Credit Index (Index) will be reported quarterly to show fluctuations in the market and discuss factors that are impacting the business economy.
The Q1/12 report shows that although access to credit remains tight, U.S. commercial credit conditions are improving, with fewer small businesses falling behind on bill payments.
The Experian/Moody’s Analytics Index improved in Q1/12 to 103.2, up from 101.9 in Q4/11. This is the index’s second consecutive quarterly improvement after it fell during much of last year. The index is riding on a wave of increased consumer spending, which is boosting small businesses’ balance sheets.
Other trends seen in the Q1 Experian/Moody’s Index report include:
Most metrics of small-business credit quality were essentially unchanged from last quarter, but the average commercial risk score improved on a year-ago basis due to a drop in the percentage of dollars delinquent.
To read the full text of the Experian news release, click here.