eNews Archive

The March consumer price index (CPI) showed a 3.5% increase compared to March 2023—while the probability of a June rate cut has quickly plunged from 56% to 17%. Though March’s inflation reading was significantly down from the pandemic-era peak in 2022 (the highest level since 1981), it remains above the Fed’s overall target of 2%. Why it matters: Credit professionals should closely monitor these inflation trends to anticipate potential impacts on their credit portfolios and adjust risk management strategies accordingly. A February Consumer Food Insights Report showed U.S. consumers pr…

For much of the last year, advocates in DC have acknowledged that a comprehensive Farm Bill reauthorization, which includes a wide array of programs such as crop insurance, farm subsidies, forestry, rural housing and infrastructure, and nutrition programs like SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), was highly unlikely to pass in this cycle’s deeply divided Congress, especially given the narrow majority held by Republicans in the House. But that hasn’t stopped Democrats in the Senate and Republicans in the House from working on their wish list. Last week, both the House and the Senate release…

NACM’s April Credit Managers’ Index (CMI) fell back to where it started in 2024 with a 3.1-point drop. Why it matters: Now sitting at 51.8, the Survey erased the major gains made in February and March. “After two months of improvement, the CMI has fallen back to near where it started the year, in expansion but weakly so,” said NACM Economist Amy Crews Cutts, Ph.D., CBE.

A credit report is a statement that includes all credit activity, both current and past, including payment history, credit limits and debt. Credit reports help credit managers uncover a customer’s risk level and likelihood of getting paid on time.

Credit managers have difficult conversations every day—whether that’s collection calls with customers, disagreements with sales or reporting to senior management. Why it matters: While most of us would prefer to sidestep conflict, for dynamic leaders in the workplace, this isn’t an option.

In recent years, credit cards have surged in popularity among customers within the B2B credit industry. Why it matters: Knowing why this trend is happening is critical for B2B trade creditors as it holds the potential to alter financial strategies and influence business operations.

Staying ahead often means embracing innovative tools and technologies. One such tool gaining traction is ChatGPT, an advanced language model that can assist credit managers in various aspects of their work.

Cyber criminals send over three billion emails per day through phishing attacks disguised as trusted senders. The scammer may use the name of trusted companies, or even your CEO. Unfortunately, the weakest link in a cyberattack is the person behind the keyboard—all it takes is one click on the wrong link.