The National Association of Credit Management's (NACM) economic report for November 2012 regained the loss experienced in October, showing a return to form in key factors.

Columbia, Maryland: November 30, 2012—The Credit Managers' Index (CMI) reading of 55.2 for November is still shy of the high points reached back in February and March (55.8 and 56.2, respectively), but is back to the levels seen in August and September. When the reading from October fell to 54.4, there was a sense that it may have been an anomaly, and not as dangerous as it would appear. Now that assessment looks more accurate.

The most important jump was in sales, which climbed from 57.4 to 60.4. It is always encouraging to see the data cresting past 60, and this marks the best sales month since August when the reading was at 62. However, the best improvement in the favorable factors was in dollar collections, as it improved from 54.6 to 61.3. "That is an impressive showing by any measure, and suggests that companies are seeing enough improvement in revenues to start catching up on their debt," said Chris Kuehl, PhD, economist for the National Association of Credit Management (NACM), who added that the full-point improvement in amount of credit extended signals more demand from reliable customers than in the past few months. This is a noted pattern, he said. "As companies begin to get current on their credit, they are often motivated by the need to ask for more credit for expansion. First they catch up and then they ask for more credit and that appears to be happening again." The only favorable factor that weakened was new credit applications, which fell from 56.6 to 56.5.

User-friendly, easy-to-read guide on how to get paid from export sales is now available.

Columbia, MD: November 13, 2012—The U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration's (ITA) released the third edition of its Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters today at the Finance, Credit and International Business Association (FCIB)'s 23rd Annual Global Conference.

"Since the publication of its first edition in 2007, the Trade Finance Guide has been an invaluable self-learning tool to America's small and medium-sized businesses," said Francisco Sánchez, Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade. "This tool helps American businesses of all sizes and in all sectors overcome one of their major export challenges: how to get paid, thereby turning their export opportunities into actual sales."

Columbia, Maryland: November 15, 2012—The National Association of Credit Management (NACM) expanded its existing services to credit and finance professionals this week by announcing the addition of its new UCC Filing Services, which joins its Mechanic's Lien and Bond Services (MLBS) under the umbrella of NACM's Secured Transaction Services (STS) division.

Security interests under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) are now a part of the coverage offered by the National Association of Credit Management's (NACM's) Secured Transaction Services division. The new and existing filing services provide the means to mitigate the risk of debtor nonpayment for businesses that sell or finance various types of personal property under Article 9, as well as those that provide labor, materials and other services under state law.

Columbia, MD: October 16, 2012—The Finance, Credit and International Business Association (FCIB), the international division of the National Association of Credit Management (NACM), will host its 23rd Annual Global Conference at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on November 11-13, 2012.

This year's conference will be geared toward offering attendees insight into the trade world of tomorrow, today. Financial risk management is a profession firmly focused on the future. Though the tools used to evaluate a customer's creditworthiness, whether financial statements or other indicators, might come from the past, the goal of these practitioners is to ensure their company gets paid in the future.

The 23rd Annual Global Conference will offer the sort of knowledge that these professionals need to thrive in today and tomorrow's global finance market. In addition to offering unparalleled networking opportunities, the event will feature a keynote presentation from Myron Brilliant, senior vice president of international affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as several other timely educational sessions on topics as diverse as navigating the Middle East and the real costs of outsourcing a company's credit and collections functions.

Columbia, Maryland: October 10, 2012—Companies of all sizes looking for a better business credit score and cheaper financing should ask their suppliers to report their accounts receivable data to credit reporting companies, according to the National Association of Credit Management (NACM).

Tightened access to credit in the wake of the Great Recession has affected businesses as much as it has affected consumers. Banks and other lending institutions have remained risk averse in what’s been an underwhelming economic recovery, and their decision not to loosen their purse strings has made it harder for consumers to start spending again, and for companies to start growing again.