Examining the Supply & Demand for Small Business Loans

Last week one of my favorite pieces of economic data was released, the NFIB Small Business Economic Trend report. (pdf) This report, coupled with the Federal Reserve quarterly survey of senior loan officers gives us a good indication of the health of small business in the U.S. The NFIB headline optimism index rose 2.7 points [...]

High Number of Those Not-In-Labor-Force Suggests Headline Unemployment Rate to Remain High

On Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Employment Situation report. In the headline establishment survey, the nonfarm payroll gain of 151,000 attracted most of the attention. It was well above the 60,000 consensus estimate and showed strength in the private sector with 159,000 jobs added (government employment fell 8,000). From the household survey [...]

Big Banks Loosen Lending Standards: Does it Matter?

The front page of the Wall Street Journal today proclaimed that “Big Banks Loosen Lending Standards”. Further reading revels that while credit standards are becoming more liberal, demand is still weak; especially among businesses with annual sales less than $50 million. So the question is, will the easing of lending supply also spur demand or [...]