Market Pulse

Affordability is top of mind for lenders—but broad economic indicators don't always tell the full story. In this episode of Market Pulse , the Equifax Advisors share what they're hearing from customers and explore the latest Market Pulse Index and credit trends to understand how inflation, debt, income and financial stability are affecting different consumer populations. Plus, the team puts their...

The U.S. consumer is sending mixed signals. In this episode of Market Pulse , the Equifax Advisors examine the latest economic and credit trends, from persistent inflation and rising household pressures to changing debt, delinquency and HELOC behavior. They also explore the widening differences among consumers—and the leading indicators lenders should watch to identify risk and uncover opportuniti...

The U.S. economy has remained remarkably resilient, but beneath the headline numbers, consumers are experiencing very different realities. Moody’s Analytics economist Justin Begley joins Equifax’s Olivia Voltaggio to examine the outlook for the labor market, growing stress among subprime borrowers, the persistent K-shaped economy and the housing affordability challenge. They also discuss what thes...

Consumer wealth has reached record highs—but the average American isn't experiencing that growth equally. In this episode, Tom O'Neill sits down with IXI Chief Strategy Officer Ian Wright to examine the growing K-shaped economy, where some households continue building wealth while others struggle with affordability and rising debt. Together, they explore what these trends mean for financial instit...

Small business fraud is evolving — and fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated tactics, from synthetic identities to AI-generated documents and digital deception. In this episode of Market Pulse , Equifax’s David Adams talks with Jill Molitor, Director of Fraud and Credit Administration at Stearns Bank, about how lenders can balance faster decisioning with stronger fraud prevention. In thi...

What does the Equifax Market Pulse Index reveal about the true financial health of American consumers? Equifax Advisors Emmaline Aliff, Jesse Hardin and Tom O'Neill explore how the Market Pulse Index uncovers financial stress and resilience that traditional economic measures often miss. The conversation examines the growing K-shaped economy, the "illusion of the average," generational wealth trend...

The Equifax Advisory team breaks down the realities behind today’s “K-shaped” economy—from rising consumer debt and delinquencies to lending risk and shifting borrower behavior. With insights on everything from interest rates and inflation to auto loans and student debt, the team translates complex economic signals into practical guidance for lenders and business leaders. In this episode: What is...

Emmaline Aliff sits down with Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb to unpack the forces reshaping today’s auto market—from affordability pressures and credit expansion to the growing wave of used EVs. As consumers navigate rising costs and lenders adapt to shifting risk, the conversation explores what’s really driving demand—and what dealers and lenders should watch next. In this episode: Wh...

The mortgage industry is debating whether to move away from the long-standing TriMerge credit reporting standard. Wendy Hannah-Olson of Equifax speaks with mathematician and behavioral modeling researcher Joni Baker at Andrew Davidson & Company about new research analyzing credit score differences across the three credit bureaus. Their discussion reveals how shifting to single or bi-merge cred...

Ashley Sellers of Equifax sits down with Jordan Sullivan, Director of Retail Lending at CSL Financial , to explore how modern credit scoring is reshaping mortgage lending. As one of the first lenders to adopt VantageScore for underwriting, CSL shares real-world results, from higher approval rates and lower costs to stronger portfolio performance. The conversation dives into affordability, trended...

Jennifer Henry of Equifax sits down with Christina Randolph of Freddie Mac to discuss how lenders can drive efficiency, improve data quality, and build resilience through digitization and automation. From reducing origination costs to leveraging tools like Loan Product Advisor, AIM, and verified income data, the conversation offers practical insights to help lenders prepare for the next market cyc...

Emmaline Aliff of Equifax sits down with Matt Orlando, Chief Experience Officer at Informative Research, to unpack one of the most talked-about developments in mortgage lending: FICO’s new Mortgage Direct Licensing program and what it could mean for lenders, credit providers, and borrowers. In this episode: What is FICO’s Mortgage Direct Licensing program? FICO’s Mortgage Direct Licensing program...

Bobby Deery sits down with Praveen Chandrahomhan, SVP of Origination Growth at Cotality, to explore how AI is reshaping mortgage lending. They discuss the rise of “micro AI” in origination, the balance between speed and empathy in the borrower journey, and why personalization and retention are becoming critical in a purchase-driven market.  In this episode: How is AI changing mortgage lending? AI...

Recorded live at MBA Annual25 in Las Vegas, this special edition of the Equifax Market Pulse explores how data, workflow automation, and AI are reshaping mortgage lending. Tanja Cleve , SVP of Solution Sales at Equifax sits down with Craig Rebmann, Product Evangelist at Dark Matter Technologies, to discuss capturing data earlier in the process, automating complex borrower scenarios, managing costs...

Recorded live at the 2025 MBA Annual in Las Vegas, this special episode of Market Pulse explores how down payment assistance programs can help unlock homeownership amid today’s affordability challenges. Joel Rickman of Equifax sits down with Rob Chrane, Founder and CEO of Down Payment Resource, to discuss how lenders, real estate professionals, and technology can better connect buyers to thousands...

In this special holiday edition, Emmaline Aliff is joined by Equifax Advisors Tom O’Neill, Dave Sojka, Jesse Hardin, and Maria Urtubey for a “Santa Scorecard” look back at what was naughty or nice in the 2025 economy, and what may change in 2026. The group unpacks AI adoption, rate cuts, equity market resiliency, and rising consumer stress signals—from student loans to auto and mortgage delinquenc...

Jennifer Henry of Equifax sits down with Andrew Davidson, president of Andrew Davidson & Co. and a leading voice in mortgage analytics, to unpack one of the most misunderstood elements of housing finance: credit scores. They explore what a credit score actually measures, why different models and bureaus produce different results, how VantageScore’s adoption could reshape risk evaluation, and w...

HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins brings together an unprecedented trio — Joel Rickman (Equifax), Michele Bodda (Experian), and Satyan Merchant (TransUnion) — for a first-of-its-kind conversation on how data is redefining the mortgage process. The three leaders also unpack key topics dominating the MBA Annual 25 conference floor — from the tri-merge debate and the cost of credit reports to regulator...

How are innovation, data, and AI are transforming the mortgage experience? Wendy Hannah-Olson, SVP of Digital Alliances and Strategy Execution at Equifax, sits down with Jonas Moe, SVP of Marketing at ICE Mortgage Technology to discuss this evolution, from streamlining operations and improving borrower engagement to keeping the human connection at the heart of lending. In this episode: How are len...

Emmaline Aliff of Equifax joins Dr. Amy Crews Cutts, Chief Economist at AC Cutts & Associates, to unpack the real costs and competitive dynamics of mortgage credit reporting. They dig into what the data actually shows about tri-merge pricing, lender negotiation power, fallout loans, and the entry of VantageScore. In this episode: What is the true cost of pulling a credit report for a mortgage?...

Recorded live at MBA Annual 2025, HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins talks with Joel Rickman, SVP of Verification Services/Workforce Solutions at Equifax, and Justin Demola, President of Lenders One, about the ripple effects of FICO’s new pricing model, the rise of VantageScore , and how smarter lending data can drive efficiency, affordability, and innovation across the housing market. In this episod...

At MBA Annual 2025, HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins interviewed Rikard Bandebo , Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Economist at VantageScore , about one of the biggest industry shifts in decades: the entrance of VantageScore into the mortgage ecosystem.  In this episode: Why is credit score competition important? For decades, the mortgage industry has relied on one scoring model. With the Federal H...

Recorded live at MBA Annual25 in Las Vegas, host Rebecca Kritzman and guests Ashley Sellers, Elaina McFarland, and Bobby Deery break down what lenders are asking for right now: AI-driven workflow efficiency, expanding use of soft-pull strategies, and dual processing to analyze Vantage Score alongside existing scores.  Who are the speakers? Rebecca Kritzman – SVP, Experience & Partner Marketing...

Recorded live at MBA Annual25 in Las Vegas, host Rebecca Kritzman, SVP of Experience and Partner Marketing at Equifax, sits down with Emmaline Aliff, Tom Ciulla, and Chris Mock to unpack the biggest themes from Day One — from innovation and data-driven lending to the industry’s ongoing dialogue around tri-merge vs. single-bureau credit models. Who are the speakers? Rebecca Kritzman – SVP, Experien...

As the U.S. government shutdown delays key economic data, the Equifax Advisors team steps in with deeper insights. Host Emmaline Aliff is joined by Jesse Hardin, Tom O’Neill, and Maria Urtubey to unpack the indicators that matter most when visibility is limited—and to debut the Market Pulse Index, a new holistic measure capturing the intersection of credit, income, assets, and financial behavior a...