Consumer Default Index

The Experian Consumer Default Index (CDIx) is designed to measure rolling default behaviour of South African consumers with Home Loan, Vehicle Loan, Personal Loan and Credit Card accounts. 

On a monthly basis, lenders typically classify their consumer accounts into one of several predetermined payment categories to reflect the level of arrears. When a lender deems the statement balance of a consumer account to be uncollectible due to being in arrears 90 or more days or statuses such as repossession, foreclosure, charge-off or write-off, the consumer account is said to be in default.

The extended index tracks the marginal default rate as it measures the sum of first-time (accounts that have never) defaulted balances as a percentage of the total sum of balances outstanding.

Published monthly with a 2-month lag, the CDI’s indices include a balance-weighted composite index as well as the 4-product specific sub-indices.

Each of the indices are also determined at FAS group and type level to provide further insight into the dynamics faced by specific consumer segments that are experiencing different stress due to macro forces such as unemployment, interest rate changes and economic growth.