Group 1 - Increased loan origination volume is expected to lead to higher revenue for Fair Isaac, Equifax, and TransUnion according to Clear Street [1] - The growth in loan origination is seen as a positive indicator for the credit reporting and analytics industry [1] - Fair Isaac, Equifax, and TransUnion are positioned to benefit from this trend due to their roles in providing credit scores and data [1]

Core Viewpoint - Shares of major credit-reporting companies have declined significantly following criticism from the Federal Housing Finance Agency Director regarding their pricing practices [1][2]. Group 1: Company Performance - Equifax Inc. shares fell by as much as 6%, TransUnion by 6.8%, and Experian by 2.7% during New York trading [1]. - Fair Isaac Corp. also experienced a drop in shares, declining by up to 4.9% [1]. Group 2: Pricing Concerns - The Federal Housing Finance Agency Director, Bill Pulte, expressed confusion over the pricing strategies of credit bureaus, indicating that they are inviting increased scrutiny [2]. - The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its members anticipate a significant increase in credit reporting costs for 2026, estimating an average rise of 40% to 50% [3]. - This increase marks the fourth consecutive year of price hikes for the tri-merge report, which combines scores from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion [3]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The lack of competition in the credit reporting market, along with the requirement for lenders to purchase reports from all three major firms, contributes to rising costs that are ultimately passed on to borrowers [3]. - Pulte has communicated with the CEOs of the credit bureaus regarding these issues, but has noted a lack of responsiveness [4]. - The FHFA is exploring alternatives to FICO scores, such as backing loans scored by VantageScore Solutions LLC, to enhance competition in the home-loan market [4]. Group 4: Analyst Insights - Analyst Jaret Seiberg from TD Cowen stated that whether the bureaus are raising prices or merely passing on higher costs is irrelevant; the focus is on how this issue is being leveraged to address housing affordability [5].

Economic Indicators - The Dec ADP employment change is expected to increase by +48,000, while the Dec ISM services index is projected to slip -0.3 to 52.3 [1] - Nov JOLTS job openings are anticipated to climb by +9,000 to 7.679 million, and Oct factory orders are expected to decline by -1.1% m/m [1] - Q3 nonfarm productivity is expected to rise by +4.7%, with unit labor costs increasing by +0.3% [1] - Initial weekly unemployment claims are projected to increase by 12,000 to 211,000 [1] - Dec nonfarm payrolls are expected to increase by +59,000, with the unemployment rate slipping by -0.1 to 4.5% [1] - Dec average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 0.3% m/m and 3.6% y/y [1] - Oct housing starts are expected to increase by 1.4% m/m to 1.325 million, and building permits are expected to rise by 1.1% m/m to 1.350 million [1] - The University of Michigan's Jan consumer sentiment index is expected to climb by 0.6 points to 53.5 [1] Stock Market Performance - The S&P 500 Index is up +0.26%, the Dow Jones is up +0.27%, and the Nasdaq 100 is up +0.49% [5] - Chipmakers and data storage companies are leading the market higher, with Sandisk up more than +22% and Western Digital up more than +12% [10] - Mining stocks are also performing well, with copper prices reaching a new all-time high [4] - Stocks linked to data-center cooling are under pressure, with Modine Manufacturing down more than -14% [12] Bond Market - The 10-year T-note yield is up by +2 bp to 4.18%, influenced by rising inflation expectations [3][7] - European government bond yields are moving lower, with the 10-year German bund yield down -2.6 bp to 2.844% [8] International Markets - The Euro Stoxx 50 and Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 have reached new record highs, with increases of +0.22% and +1.32% respectively [6]

Economic Indicators - The Dec ADP employment change is expected to increase by +48,000, while the Dec ISM services index is projected to slip -0.3 to 52.3 [1] - Nov JOLTS job openings are anticipated to climb by +9,000 to 7.679 million, and Oct factory orders are expected to decline by -1.1% m/m [1] - Q3 nonfarm productivity is expected to rise by +4.7%, with unit labor costs increasing by +0.3% [1] - Initial weekly unemployment claims are projected to increase by 12,000 to 211,000 [1] - Dec nonfarm payrolls are expected to increase by +59,000, with the unemployment rate slipping by -0.1 to 4.5% [1] - Dec average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 0.3% m/m and 3.6% y/y [1] - Oct housing starts are expected to increase by 1.4% m/m to 1.325 million, and building permits are expected to rise by 1.1% m/m to 1.350 million [1] - The University of Michigan's Jan consumer sentiment index is expected to climb by 0.6 points to 53.5 [1] Stock Market Performance - The S&P 500 Index is up +0.32%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index is up +0.16%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index is up +0.63% [5] - March E-mini S&P futures are up +0.33%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures are up +0.66% [5] - Chipmakers and data storage companies are leading the market, with Sandisk up more than +12% and Microchip Technology up more than +7% [10] - Mining stocks are also performing well, with copper prices reaching a new all-time high [4][11] Bond Market - The 10-year T-note yield is up by +2 bp to 4.18%, influenced by rising inflation expectations [3][7] - The 10-year breakeven inflation rate has risen to a 1-month high [3][7] - European government bond yields are moving lower, with the 10-year German bund yield down -2.7 bp to 2.843% [8] Company-Specific Developments - Aeva Technologies is up more than +32% after its 4D LiDAR technology was selected for Nvidia's autonomous vehicle platform [13] - OneStream is up more than +25% following news of advanced acquisition talks [13] - Zeta Global Holdings is up more than +6% after entering a strategic collaboration with OpenAI [14] - Vistra Corp. is up more than +3% after agreeing to acquire 10 natural gas-fired power plants for roughly $4 billion [14] - Core Scientific is up more than +2% after an upgrade to buy from neutral [15]

Core Insights - PayPal has launched its Transaction Graph Insights & Measurement program to provide merchants with a comprehensive view of consumer spending habits across the internet [1] - The program aims to position PayPal as a more accurate alternative to traditional tech giants by tracking verified purchases rather than just clicks or impressions [2][6] Program Features - The program utilizes a "transaction graph" that connects signals from 430 million consumer accounts and tens of millions of merchants, allowing advertisers to see the complete purchase journey [3] - It includes an interactive analytics dashboard for brands to visualize shopper journeys and a measurement suite for reporting on campaign attribution and sales lift [4] Industry Impact - Mark Grether, senior vice president and general manager of PayPal Ads, emphasized the importance of data-driven precision in advertising solutions, stating that real commerce data is essential for meeting the needs of empowered shoppers [5] - Early results indicate success, with Ulta Beauty reporting a 20% increase in transaction spend via PayPal during a campaign utilizing these insights [6] Validation and Expansion - To ensure data objectivity, PayPal has launched a partnership program with third-party firms like Experian, TransUnion, and Kantar to independently validate campaign results, initially available for U.S.-based advertisers [7] - The program is expected to expand to the United Kingdom and Germany [7] Related Developments - This initiative follows a partnership with generative AI search engine Perplexity, which integrated PayPal to provide personalized results based on user history [8]

Core Insights - The average credit card interest rate is expected to remain high, with only a slight decrease projected for 2026, indicating ongoing financial pressure for consumers with credit card debt [4][5][9] Interest Rate Trends - The Federal Reserve is anticipated to implement three quarter-point rate cuts in 2026, influenced by declining inflation and a weakening job market [2] - The average credit card interest rate is projected to decrease to 19.1% by the end of 2026, which is only 0.6% lower than the end of 2025 [4][7] - Credit card interest rates dropped to 19.7% at the end of 2025, reflecting a minor decrease from 20.15% at the beginning of the year [5][7] Consumer Behavior and Debt Management - Approximately 23% of Americans with credit card debt believe they will never escape it, highlighting the severity of the issue [4] - The average credit card balance is reported to be $6,523, with significant interest costs associated with minimum payments [10] - Consumers are advised to seek 0% APR balance transfer cards as a more effective strategy for managing credit card debt [11] Credit Issuer Practices - Credit card issuers may adjust rates for new customers independently of the federal funds rate, often leading to higher rates for new cardholders [1][6] - Some issuers are lowering rates for borrowers with higher credit scores while maintaining or increasing rates for those with lower scores [8] Financial Advice - It is recommended that consumers do not rely solely on Federal Reserve actions to guide their credit card decisions, as rates are expected to remain high [9][15] - Strategies such as cutting expenses, taking on side jobs, and working with credit counseling agencies are suggested for effective debt management [12][13]

Core Insights - Low-interest personal loans are primarily available to highly creditworthy borrowers, with competitive APRs often below the national average of 12.21% as of December 31, 2025, and frequently below 10% [2] Group 1: Qualification Criteria - To qualify for the best personal loan rates, borrowers typically need an excellent credit score, defined as a score between 800 and 850, which indicates responsible credit management [3] - Checking credit reports for errors is essential, as inaccuracies can negatively impact credit scores; free reports can be obtained weekly from all three major credit bureaus [4] - Paying off revolving debt is crucial, as credit utilization ratio significantly affects credit scores; even small balances can lower scores enough to disqualify borrowers from the lowest rates [6][7] Group 2: Additional Requirements - A high credit score and sufficient income are vital for securing the lowest personal loan rates; improving credit scores before applying can lead to better rates [8] - Borrowers should shop around with at least three lenders or use a marketplace to compare offers, ensuring they meet criteria such as a FICO score above 740, an established credit history, and a bank account for automatic payments [8]

After the glow of the holidays wears off, the gifts have been opened, and the credit card bills arrive, you may be ready for a financial reset. January is a natural time to adopt new financial habits, but if your to-do list is long, it can be tough to know how to start. Below, we’ll explore the best research-backed financial habits to start in January so you can kick your new year off right. 5 financial habits to start in January It’s never a bad time to implement healthy financial habits, but January ...

Core Insights - Francesca Noli has joined TransUnion as Executive Vice President of Global Consumer Solutions, focusing on the TruEmpower™ line of solutions to enhance consumer adoption of credit education and identity protection products [1][4] Group 1: Leadership and Experience - Noli brings over 20 years of experience in product and marketing leadership across various sectors, including financial services and gaming [2] - At Capital One, Noli led initiatives that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, transforming CreditWise into a high-performing business unit [2][3] Group 2: Strategic Vision - Noli's role will involve developing market strategies that leverage digital product development, customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making to enhance TruEmpower offerings [4] - TransUnion aims to empower businesses to help consumers improve their financial health and safeguard their identities through the adoption of TruEmpower solutions [5] Group 3: Company Overview - TransUnion operates globally with over 13,000 associates in more than 30 countries, focusing on providing reliable consumer insights and innovative solutions beyond core credit services [6]

Core Insights - TransUnion (TRU) shares have increased by 4.1% over the past month, outperforming the industry growth of 0.7% [1] - The company's Q4 2025 earnings are projected to rise by 5.2% year over year, with earnings expected to grow by 8.7% in 2025 and 13.1% in 2026 [1] - Revenue growth is anticipated at 8.5% in 2025 and 7.7% in 2026 [1] Factors Supporting Growth - TRU's revenue growth is fueled by the expanding Big Data and analytics market, supported by a stable U.S. economic and lending environment [2] - Key economic indicators such as modest GDP growth, low unemployment, stable delinquencies, lower interest rates, and manageable inflation are positively impacting performance [2] Technological Advancements - The OneTru platform is modernizing TRU's technology by integrating various data and analytic assets, enhancing innovation in credit and non-credit products [3] - The TrueIQ analytics platform, launched in Canada, the UK, and India, is designed to accelerate data processing and improve access for U.S. credit customers [4] - The recent introduction of TrueIQ data enrichment on Snowflake expands market opportunities for data enrichment [4] Financial Health - TRU's current ratio at the end of Q3 2025 was 2.01, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.98, indicating strong liquidity to meet short-term obligations [5] Competitive Landscape - TRU operates in a competitive market with major players like Equifax, Experian, FICO, and LexisNexis, which poses challenges in balancing growth and profitability while investing in technology and talent [6]