With the ability to build on both internally derived score models and standard credit scores, such as the FICO 8 Score, the FICO Economic Impact ServiceTM provides lenders with unprecedented insight into the changing nature of risk in response to economic conditions.

"Banks are experiencing tremendous pressure to balance demands for growth and profitability with the imperative to manage risk," said Dr. Andrew Jennings, chief research officer at FICO. "Changes in unemployment rates, interest rates and other economic indicators often anticipate important marketplace movements. It can be extraordinarily difficult for even large lenders to objectively assess such external risks and adapt their credit decisioning systems quickly enough to be effective. That's why we've developed this new way to enhance traditional risk scores and significantly strengthen lenders' abilities to manage risk and boost profitability in dynamic economic environments."

Many scoring models, including the industry-leading FICO 8 Score, provide lenders with a powerful tool that rank-orders consumers based on risk. FICO Economic Impact Service represents a novel approach in risk management that for the first time gives lenders the added ability to scientifically calibrate credit risk estimates to expected market conditions, at the account level. The new service can be used to fine-tune lending strategies based on both positive and negative economic movement. It is as valuable to lenders for managing risk in a downturn as during times of economic recovery and growth.

FICO Economic Impact Service examines up to 150 different economic indicators, for example, unemployment rate, interest rates and gross domestic product (GDP), then projects changes in risk using predictive analytics pioneered by FICO. Clients can choose how frequently they wish to examine economic indicators and correspondingly adjust their risk management strategies. As a result, lenders can keep their strategies tuned to evolving market conditions and determine appropriate levels of loan loss reserves and capital requirements for a more sustainable, healthier performing business.

"Raiffeisen International chose FICO Economic Impact Service to evaluate potential risk changes in one of our largest Eastern European card portfolios," said Zsolt Jaczko, vice president and head of methodology and validation, Retail Risk Management for Raiffeisen. "We're continually searching for ways to improve the risk performance of our portfolio, to reduce losses and to identify areas of profitable opportunity. FICO EIS uniquely quantifies how our portfolio risk will react to changes in regional economic shifts that will ultimately result in improved profitability for Raiffeisen."