VIRTUAL EVENT

Credit Trends USA 2026

Global perspective. Local relevance. Real impact.

Click to register for the on-demand.
Click to register for the on-demand.

From inflation to innovation: what will drive the economy?

Credit Trends USA brings together Moody’s analysts to outline the 2026 credit outlook amid policy uncertainty, shifting macro conditions and rapid technological change.

Atsi Sheth and Mark Zandi set the economic scene for the year, covering the path of inflation, labor‑market dynamics and the effects of fiscal and policy choices, as well as whether AI‑driven investment and productivity gains can meaningfully boost growth.

Credit conditions 2026

How will policy and macro shifts define the 2026 credit outlook? Where are the key pressure points across corporates, consumers and banks? What risks emerge from refinancing, leveraged finance and private credit? And how might AI‑related investment reshape growth and funding?

Policy volatility and corporate earnings

Explore how policy uncertainty, cost pressures and the inflation and rates backdrop are feeding into corporate earnings expectations and investment plans, including the role of AI spending and the influence of trade and geopolitics.

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    Paloma San Valentin Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance, Moody’s Ratings

Consumer caution and sector bifurcation

Hear how consumer behavior is evolving across income groups and what that means for sector performance, from essentials and value-led spending to more discretionary categories.

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    Paloma San Valentin Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance, Moody’s Ratings

Key macro swing factors for corporates

Get into the macro variables most likely to move the corporate credit outlook in 2026, including labor market conditions, inflation trends and trade policy, and why they matter for demand and margins.

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    Paloma San Valentin Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance, Moody’s Ratings

Banking sector in goldilocks conditions

Follow the key themes shaping the environment for US banks heading into 2026, including core earnings drivers, capital markets activity and what the latest indicators suggest on asset quality, liquidity and funding.

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    Donald Robertson Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Banking, Moody's Ratings

Risks that could shift banking outlook

Consider what could change the banking narrative, from consumer credit sensitivity to employment trends to policy and inflation surprises, capital management choices and the direction of regulation and supervision.

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    Donald Robertson Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Banking, Moody's Ratings

Refinancing pressures and market dynamics

Track the refinancing pipeline across investment-grade and high yield markets, the state of issuance conditions, and how leveraged finance structures and covenant quality factor into credit risk.

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    Paloma San Valentin Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance, Moody’s Ratings

Private credit growth and drivers

Understand what is powering private credit growth, including borrower demand for tailored solutions and execution certainty, and the types of financing needs supporting continued activity.

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    Marc Pinto Managing Director, Global Head of Private Credit, Moody's Ratings

Private credit trends and globalization

See how private credit is evolving as it scales, from asset-based finance and securitization to geographic expansion, investor participation, transparency expectations and deeper links with banks and insurers.

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    Marc Pinto Managing Director, Global Head of Private Credit, Moody's Ratings

AI, data centers and tokenization

Dive into how AI-driven infrastructure buildouts are influencing capital needs and development timelines, and how tokenization and stablecoins are entering the conversation around market structure and operational risk.

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    Jessica Gladstone Managing Director - Ratings & Process Oversight, Moody's Ratings
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    Marc Pinto Managing Director, Global Head of Private Credit, Moody's Ratings
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    Paloma San Valentin Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance, Moody’s Ratings
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    Donald Robertson Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Banking, Moody's Ratings

Speakers

Dr. Atsi Sheth

Dr. Atsi Sheth

Chief Credit Officer, Head of Credit Strategy & Standards

Moody's Ratings

Mark Zandi

Mark Zandi

Chief Economist

Moody's Analytics

Jessica Gladstone

Jessica Gladstone

Managing Director - Ratings & Process Oversight

Moody's Ratings

Donald Robertson

Donald Robertson

Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Banking

Moody's Ratings

Paloma San Valentin

Paloma San Valentin

Managing Director, Head of North America Corporate Finance

Moody’s Ratings

Marc Pinto

Marc Pinto

Managing Director, Global Head of Private Credit

Moody's Ratings