Which of the following best describes the effect of a downturn in the economy on vulnerable populations' credit scores?

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When the economy slows, financial stress hits people unevenly. Those who are already financially vulnerable tend to face larger income shocks, higher risk of job loss, and less savings to fall back on. Credit scores react to changes in payment behavior and credit use, and vulnerable individuals are more likely to miss payments or rely more on available credit during a downturn. That leads to bigger score drops for them, while those with stronger finances can maintain timely payments and steadier balances. The result is that gaps between groups widen rather than shrink.

So the best description is that a downturn magnifies differences in credit scores among vulnerable populations. The other options imply gaps stay the same, decrease, or disappear, which doesn’t align with how unequal impacts tend to unfold in a recession.