(BFW) Auto Asset Quality to Weaken Further, Fitch Says

Auto Asset Quality to Weaken Further, Fitch Says
Auto loan and lease credit performance is expected to continue to deteriorate in 2017, according to a new U.S. auto asset quality review by Fitch Ratings.
  • Says credit losses weakened in 2H 2016, consistent with seasonal trends; credit performance vs 2H 2015 also deteriorated
  • “Subprime credit losses are accelerating faster than the prime segment, and this trend is likely to continue as a result of looser underwriting standards by lenders in recent years,” Fitch Ratings director Michael Taiano says in a note
  • Says banks starting to lose market share to captive auto finance companies, credit unions as they tighten underwriting standards in response to deteriorating used vehicle prices, weaker subprime credit performance