Small Business Indices

Each index measures a distinct aspect of small business trends and financial activity:

1. Small Business Lending Index: Measures the volume of new small business loans issued over the past 30 days. It serves as an early signal of future economic growth and demand for capital.
2. Small Business Delinquency Index: Measures the percentage of loans that are 31-90, 91-180, and 31-180 days delinquent. It gauges small business financial stress and default risk.
3. Small Business Default Index: Measures the percentage of loans and leases to small businesses that have defaulted. It provides a robust indicator of financial stress and insolvency.
    

A wide range of stakeholders can benefit, including economists, policymakers, government entities, regulators, lenders, financial advisors, and equity hedge funds, to name a few. 

The Small Business Delinquency Index is designed to gauge small business trends, financial stress, and default risk at national, state, and industry levels. It offers insights to help organizations understand the stage of the business cycle and inform credit oversight policies. As a reliable predictor of small business financial stress and changes in unemployment, it provides "big picture insights" for decision-makers.

The Small Business Default Index is a robust indicator of small business financial stress and insolvency. It provides valuable early insight into market conditions, often ahead of other quarterly economic releases. This information is crucial for assessing risk exposure and evaluating the financial health across various economic sectors, as default is a key measurement of borrowers who have failed to remain current on their obligations.