Industry Headlines

"Lessons Learned as the Student Loan Market Starts to Recover"

Troubles with student loans first surfaced last winter as private lenders began pulling out of the market and nonprofit loan providers suddenly found themselves unable to raise capital. Nine months later, it is clear that the student loan market is the latest to take a hit from the credit crunch that continues to ripple through the economy.
         —Collections & Credit Risk, September 2008

"Credit Card Charge-Offs Continue Marching Higher"

Ratings agency Fitch reported that chargeoffs and delinquencies at major credit card issuers increased in July and may continue to rise to historically high levels through 2008.
         —Inside ARM, August 5, 2008

"Largest Debt Buyers Primarily Purchase Credit Card Accounts"

The 15 largest debt buyers last year purchased a combined face value estimated between $25.1 billion and $37.7 billion in delinquent credit card accounts, or 60% to 90% of total debt purchases of $41.9 billion, according to a survey by CardLine sister publication Collections & Credit Risk.
         —CardLine, August 1, 2008

"An Unsteady House of Cards"

Credit card issuers face tough times ahead. Consumer confidence and spending are withering fast thanks to the economic downturn sparked by the subprime mortgage crisis. Now what?
         —Collections & Credit Risk, August 2008

"Chasing the Hidden Dollar"

Lenders in this troubled economy are reexamining where their risk assessments failed. Can they improve processes to lessen the fall?
         —Collections & Credit Risk, August 2008

"Issuers Face Bigger Losses than Expected"

Credit card issuers in the coming months are likely to suffer greater losses than first expected, hit by both a growing reliance on cards by cash-strapped consumers and general weakness in the economy.
         —Collections & Credit Risk, August 2008

"TransUnion: Delinquencies Are Up 62% and Headed Higher"

A TransUnion analysis of consumer loan data find that residential home loan delinquencies have risen for five straight quarters, with 3.23% of borrowers being 60 or more days behind on their mortgage payments during the first quarter of 2008.
         —National Mortgage News, July 7, 2008