​​​Atradius lowers its eurozone GDP growth forecasts by 0.3% to 0.9% for 2025 and 1.2% for 2026. Shortly before President Trump's 'Liberation Day', Atradius predicted some of the economic implications which could ensue should the US apply tariffs of between 10% and 25% on a range of EU imports in 2025. Atradius notes that the US is the EU's largest export market, and as such, it has already lowered its eurozone GDP growth forecasts by 0.3% to 0.9% for 2025 and 1.2% for 2026. However, EU countries will not be impacted equally, and among the large EU countries, Atradius estimates that Germany could be hardest hit with growth of just 0.1% in 2025 — 0.5% less than what might otherwise have been expected. Atradius also cites Oxford Economics' calculation that a blanket 10% US tariff on EU goods would see the level of business investment in the eurozone fall by almost two percentage points by the end of 2027. To read Atradius' news release, go to https://atradius.co.uk/knowledge-and-research/news/eu-economies-brace-as-washington-and-brussels-trade-tariffs.​

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Trade tensions and Eurozone weakness cloud the UK's economic outlook. A new UK Economic Conditions report by Tokio Marine HCC notes that the UK's 2025 growth outlook remains disappointing, as trade tensions with the US escalate and the eurozone's weak performance, especially in Germany, impacts UK trade. In January, the OECD and the IMF projected real GDP growth in the UK at 1.7% and 1.6%, respectively, but the Bank of England halved its forecast to 0.8% in February. Meanwhile, Consensus Economics, which aggregates projections from various forecasters, currently expects 1.4% growth, though risks remain tilted towards the downside. The potential for increased US tariffs on British exports, which accounted for 22% of UK exports in 2023, poses a significant risk, though services (making up 70% of UK exports to the US) may be less affected. While business failures in the UK dropped by 5% in 2024, insolvencies remain above pre-COVID levels, with 23,880 failures. To read Tokio Marine HCC's full news release, go to https://www.tmhcc.com/en/news-and-articles/thought-leadership/uk-economic-conditions-report-march-2025.

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China: Extended payment terms ease the impact of rising payment delays. Coface's latest survey on Chinese corporate payment behaviour reveals that the average payment terms for Chinese companies increased from 70 days in 2023 to 76 days in 2024. Although payment delays remained largely stable, rising slightly from 64 days to 65 days, Coface calculated that this indicates that the overall waiting time between product delivery and payment collection—including payment delays—increased from 133 days in 2023 to 141 days in 2024. The survey also found that nearly half of respondents who experienced ultra-long payment delays (over 180 days) reported late payments amounting to more than 2% of their annual turnover, a significant rise from 33% in 2023. Coface's experience shows that 80% of these overdue payments, which exceed 180 days and 2% of turnover, remain uncollected. To read Coface's news release, with a link to the full report, go to https://www.coface.uk/news-economy-and-insights/china-extended-payment-terms-eased-the-impact-of-rising-payment-delays.

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Atradius forecasted a positive business outlook for growth ahead of the March Spring Statement. Business Money has reported that Atradius data reveals that 65% of UK businesses are confident in their ability to overcome Budget-related challenges and continue growing, with the strongest resilience in the Tech and IT sectors. This optimism is supported by a decline in credit insurance claims that Atradius has noted across two-thirds of sectors compared to February 2024, with Textiles (-70%), Chemicals (-33%), and Machinery (-26%) experiencing the most significant drop in claims. However, concerns around late or failed payments remain, with 63% of businesses identifying it as a key risk. To read Business Money's article, go to https://www.business-money.com/announcements/trade-credit-insurer-forecasts-positive-business-outlook-for-growth-ahead-of-march-spring-statement/.​

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BPL secures long-term investment from Preservation Capital Partners. Berry Palmer & Lyle (BPL) has announced that it has secured investment from Preservation Capital Partners (PCP), a specialist financial services investor supported by long-term co-investors. Jatender Aujla, Managing Partner at PCP, will join the BPL board, with the broader leadership remaining unchanged. Charles Berry, Founder of BPL, said: "BPL only became fully employee-owned around a decade after it was founded when the PRI market was still embryonic. Now the CPRI market has matured, with a clear direction and growth trajectory, it is time to revert to our origins by partnering with external minority shareholders, while retaining majority employee-ownership and our specialisation." This news comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of BPL's opening in Paris in July. To read BPL's news release, go to https://bpl-insurance.com/insight/bpl-secures-long-term-investment-from-preservation-capital-partners/.

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UK business insolvencies begin to slow down after a record high. Allianz Trade's latest Global Insolvency Report reveals that the UK has seen a promising shift in business insolvencies, marking the first year-on-year decrease in three years. According to Allianz Trade's research, the UK registered 26,708 insolvency cases in 2024, a 5% reduction from the previous year. This decline follows significant rises, which brought insolvencies to a 10-year record high in 2023. However, Allianz Trade also warns that the UK's growth momentum is unlikely to recover significantly before 2026. Consequently, a mild decrease in UK insolvencies of 3% is anticipated in 2025, reducing cases to 25,900, followed by a larger relief in 2026 with a 7% drop to 24,000 cases. In contrast, global business insolvencies are expected to rise by 6% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, following a 10% increase in 2024. To read Allianz Trade's report, go to https://www.allianz-trade.com/en_GB/insights/economic-research/uk-business-insolvencies-begin-slow-descent-after-record-high.html.

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ICI (Women in Credit Insurance) spotlight on Michele Horner. ICISA has published an interview with Michele Horner, Regional Client Services Director (North) at Xenia Broking. Reflecting on her career, Michele shares some of her top tips for success. She highlights the importance of building strong client relationships, never hesitating to ask questions, and offering mentorship to those entering the industry. She also underscores the significance of taking a collaborative approach, both with colleagues and clients, to ensure success and progress. Michele notes that creating awareness of the benefits and value that credit insurance products bring to a business is key. To read the full interview, visit https://icisa.org/news/wici-spotlight-on-michele-horner/.

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Webinars:  Aon’s Global Credit Solutions Conference 2025. Aon's Global Credit Solutions Conference 2025 took place virtually on March 18–19, 2025. The event covered key credit solutions topics impacting businesses, such as risk financing, data & analytics, political risk, and surety. Aon also presented its Credit Solutions Market Outlook, exploring future challenges and opportunities. International journalist and broadcaster Declan Curry hosted, with Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov delivering the keynote. 'Rethinking Credit Insurance' sessions included:

• Rethinking Credit Insurance: Risk Financing Techniques. Michelle Mason, EMEA Chief Commercial Officer, Aon. Oliver Henderson, Chief Broking Officer, Credit Solutions, Aon. Guy Malyon, EMEA Strategic Broking Director, and Alternative Risk Transfer Team, Aon. Fabrice Frère, Managing Director, Aon Global Risk Consulting

• Rethinking Credit Insurance: Delivering Industry-Centric Credit Solutions to Clients. Gary Lorimer, Global Growth Leader, Credit Solutions, Aon. Jesse van Cleef, Head of Multi Buyer Trade Credit Europe, Liberty Specialty Markets. Simon Philpin, Director of Trade Credit, Markel. Julian Hudson, Global Head of Trade Credit, Chubb

• Rethinking Credit Insurance: Growing and Connecting Talent. Mark Powell, Head of Risk Analysis, Credit Solutions, Aon. Hubert Jäger, Credit Solutions Austria, Aon. David Marchant, Credit Solutions United Kingdom, Aon. Agathe Colin, Credit Solutions France, Aon. Ben Burns, Credit Solutions United States, Aon. Federica Paudice, Credit Solutions Italy, Aon. Ignacio Agra, Credit Solutions Spain, Aon. John MacKay, Credit Solutions United Kingdom, Aon. Martin Lex, Credit Solutions Netherlands, Aon. Sylwia Kowalczyk, Credit Solutions Poland, Aon. Flavien Grimmer, Credit Solutions France, Aon.

Other sessions included:

• Precision Performance: Winning in The Long Run. 

• Navigating the Future: Credit Solutions Market Outlook

• Navigating the Future: The Impact of Data-Driven Innovation. 

• Inside the Negotiation Room: Securing Political Risk Insurance Amid Global Uncertainty. 

• Inside the Negotiation Room: Delivering Surety Solutions to Unlock Capital. 

• Inside the Negotiation Room: Structuring Trade Credit Co-Insurance Programs. 

To watch any of these webinars, go to https://contact.aon.com/GLOBAL_CREDIT_SOLUTIONS?.

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Q&A: Steve Bramall warns that "Risk is definitely back". Insurance Post has published an article with Steve Bramall, Credit Director for the UK and Ireland at Allianz Trade, in which Steve discusses how Allianz Trade is adapting for uncertain times, what a second Trump presidency means for UK businesses, and why more claims isn't necessarily a bad thing. To read the Q&A on Insurance Post's website go to https://www.postonline.co.uk/commercial/7957197/qa-steve-bramall-allianz-trade?ref=header-search (a subscription to Insurance Post is required).

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CIN Shorts

Meridian Finance Group rebrands. Meridian Finance Group has changed its name to Texel Americas, Inc. to align its branding with the rest of the Group's global operations. Meridian has been part of the Texel Group since 2017.

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CST Group has announced the restarting of its trade credit insurance programs in Lebanon. For more information about CST, go to https://www.cst.com.lb/.

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WTW has been named the Best Credit Risk Insurance (CRI) Broker by the APLMA (Asia Pacific Loan Market Association). Voted by members of the Association, the inaugural award was announced at an awards ceremony held recently in Hong Kong. 

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Atradius UK won the Wellbeing Company of the Year Award at the HR in Wales awards. The awards ceremony recognised some of Wales' top businesses and organisations.

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Company Watch has been announced as a finalist for three categories at the Credit & Collections Industry Awards 2025: Industry Contribution of the Year, Credit Modelling & Risk Team of the Year, Fraud Prevention Team of the Year.

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​​​​​Readers raising funds for charity

Jane Hull is fundraising for BANA. Jane Hull, Director of Credit at Tokio Marine HCC, is raising funds for the British Acoustic Neuroma Association (BANA), the charity that has provided her with invaluable support following her acoustic neuroma diagnosis in late 2024. In December, Jane underwent a 12-hour brain surgery to remove the tumour. Since then, she has been on a challenging road to recovery, with BANA offering her guidance and emotional support every step of the way. The charity has played a crucial role in helping Jane understand and come to terms with her diagnosis while also assisting her in regaining her health and strength. Now, Jane is giving back by raising money for BANA so they can continue to support others facing similar battles. To support Jane's fundraising, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/jane-hull-1733287631361.

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Tom Bancroft's fundraiser for Spread a Smile. Tom Bancroft, Head of Marketing at Coface UK & Ireland, and his brother James are taking on the Isle of Wight Challenge on 3–4 May, an ultramarathon of over 60 miles, to raise vital funds and awareness for Spread a Smile. Spread a Smile's mission is to distract seriously ill children and teenagers from the monotony of extended hospital stays by spreading joy and laughter. Every year, their teams of entertainers make thousands of virtual and bedside visits, distracting children from pain and treatment, breaking the monotony of the hospital environment and creating positive memories for them, their parents and siblings. To donate to Tom and James' fundraising page, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/bancroft?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL.

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John Joseph's fundraiser for MCA Trust. John Joseph, Senior Underwriter at AIG Trade Credit, is gearing up for a charity bike ride from London to Brighton on 15 June to raise funds for the MCA Trust, a charity supporting children battling cancer in Essex and London. The funds raised will specifically benefit the MCA Trust's new Education & Careers Scheme, launching in 2025. This pioneering initiative aims to address the educational gaps children may experience due to cancer treatments, helping them stay on track with their education and career aspirations. To donate to MCA Trust's fundraising page, go to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mcatrustlondontobrighton2025.

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Stephen Uwins fundraises for Sands in memory of Mia. Stephen Uwins, Director at CMR Insurance Services, is fundraising for the charity Sands in memory of his sister and brother-in-law's baby girl, Mia, who tragically passed away last October. This March, Stephen's family participated in the 100km Sands Walk to honour Mia's memory. Sands is a charity that provides essential support to families grieving the loss of a baby, advocates for change, and funds vital research to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths, ensuring no family faces this unimaginable pain alone. To support Stephen's fundraising efforts, visit: to https://fundraising.sands.org.uk/fundraisers/stephenuwins/walk-100k-in-march.