Use Perplexity to Research Industry Risk Before a Deal

What This Does

Perplexity searches the live web and synthesizes current news, industry reports, and regulatory updates, giving you a sourced overview of an industry's current risk environment before you write your credit memo. Better than Claude for "what's happening right now" questions because it cites sources you can verify.

Before You Start

• You have a free Perplexity.ai account at perplexity.ai
• You know the borrower's industry (NAICS code or description)

Steps

1. Go to perplexity.ai

Create a free account or use it without one.

2. Type your question in the search bar

Use conversational, specific questions. Perplexity works best with focused queries.

3. Read the sourced summary

Perplexity shows a synthesized answer with numbered citations. Click the sources to verify.

4. Ask follow-up questions

The conversation continues. Drill into specific risks or ask for regional specifics.

The Prompts

Current industry conditions:

What are the current credit risks and headwinds for [industry] businesses in [year]? Include: demand trends, cost pressures, regulatory changes, and any recent sector-specific events that lenders should be aware of.

Specific risk factors:

What is the current outlook for [commercial real estate type / manufacturing subsector / healthcare segment] lending? What are lenders watching most closely right now?

Regional conditions:

What are the commercial real estate market conditions in [city/metro area] in [year]? Specifically: office/retail/industrial vacancy rates, cap rate trends, and any large tenant moves or development pipeline concerns.

Example Searches

• "Current credit risks for restaurant borrowers in 2025"
• "Skilled nursing facility reimbursement rate changes 2024-2025"
• "Senior housing occupancy recovery post-COVID current status"
• "Independent pharmacy viability trends and PBM impact on margins"
• "Construction lending risks during rising materials cost environment"

Tips

• Use the "Focus" button to limit to news sources or academic sources depending on your need
• Compare Perplexity's summary to any industry-specific research your bank subscribes to (IBISWorld, S&P Industry Surveys)
• Save the Perplexity output as a PDF or paste quotes directly into your credit file as supporting research documentation
• Always note that AI-synthesized research is a supplement, not a substitute for your bank's industry expertise

Verify sources before citing in a credit memo. Perplexity synthesizes from web sources that may vary in reliability.