Equifax released its second quarter 2026 Market Pulse Index, which rose slightly from 60.9 to 61.3, marking the first pause in the widening K-shaped economic gap in three years. The index, a measure of U.S. consumer financial health derived from anonymized credit, debt, income, and asset data along with VantageScore credit score insights, still sits just below its level a year ago. Within the index's three consumer segments, the top-tier Thrivers grew by 3.2%, the Middle, which represents nearly 70% of the U.S. population, expanded slightly by 0.9%, and the more economically sensitive Strivers contracted by 4.2%, the segment's sharpest drop since the fourth quarter of 2023. Assets remain the clearest dividing line: nearly 78% of Thrivers are considered Affluent, holding more than $1 million in assets, while over 97% of Strivers are Mass Market, with less than $100,000 in assets. For the first time since the third quarter of 2025, index values rose across all age segments, with Millennials leading at a 1.0% quarterly gain to an average index of 58.7, while consumer sentiment fell to 49.5, its lowest reading since tracking began.
Equifax IncEquifax's own Market Pulse Index rose slightly to 61.3, but the report shows a mixed picture with Strivers contracting 4.2% and sentiment at a record low, so the net impact on Equifax is unclear.
