The NFIB asks members each month whether their most recent loan carries an interest rate higher or lower than the previous loan. The chart shows the net percentage reporting higher rates. This measure of sentiment among borrowers, derived from monthly NFIB data, asks whether they expect loans to be harder or easier to obtain in the coming three months. This measures demand for loans among NFIB members each month. Lower demand tends to favor borrowers.
Figures show the percentage of companies borrowing at least once per quarter.
This is how senior loan officers at 85 banks perceive demand from small companies, as reported to the Fed each quarter. Lower demand usually favors borrowers, but may also be a reaction to tighter terms or higher rates. What senior bank lending officers expect to do in the coming months when it comes to the fine print like credit standards and maturities. Based on a quarterly Fed survey. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.