The 2025 holiday season promises a slate of new consumer behaviors in the United States. Using key financial data points to predict patterns can help consumers, retailers and lenders successfully prepare for the holidays.
Every year, Equifax publishes its Market Pulse Index, a value that analyzes key financial components and observes how they interact and evolve over time. In 2025, the Market Pulse Index for the average US population is 61.4.
Equifax also measures the index for specific generations, and has found that Gen Z has an index of only 58.6, suggesting that this generation is facing more financial challenges than others. Examples of the financial challenges that could influence the Market Pulse Index include increasing delinquencies, income volatility and high savings rates.
Despite these challenges, most Americans plan to do the same amount of holiday shopping in 2025 is expected to decrease by 23% in 2025. This decrease in holiday purchases reflects the increased financial strife plaguing younger Americans.
Other trends are emerging across generations. For example, many Americans are shopping earlier in the year, with 80% of all planned holiday gift spending expected to occur by the end of Cyber Monday. Domestic travel during the holidays is also on the rise.
By leveraging consumer financial data, it becomes easier to predict trends and anticipate how the 2025 holiday season will look for consumers, retailers and lenders.
