Auto loan delinquencies rise, warning lights flash for the market

Auto loans in the United States are showing more trouble at the payment stage, a warning sign for the entire chain. According to the report, a growing share of customers is missing or delaying installments, with effects that could spread to finance companies, dealerships and automakers.

For the market, this is a delicate issue: if credit tightens, buying a car becomes harder and sales can slow down. In Italy the situation is less severe, but it still offers a useful snapshot of how borrowing costs are changing access to new cars.