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Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices
July 2010

Survey | Full report (PDF)
Table 1 | Table 2 |Chart data
Table 1 (PDF) | Table 2 (PDF) | Charts (PDF)

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Table 2

Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices
at Selected Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks in the United States ¹

(Status of policy as of July 2010)

Questions 1-6 ask about commercial and industrial (C&I) loans at your bank. Questions 1-3 deal with changes in your bank's lending policies over the past three months. Questions 4-5 deal with changes in demand for C&I loans over the past three months. Question 6 asks about changes in prospective demand for C&I loans at your bank, as indicated by the volume of recent inquiries about the availability of new credit lines or increases in existing lines. If your bank's lending policies have not changed over the past three months, please report them as unchanged even if the policies are either restrictive or accommodative relative to longer-term norms. If your bank's policies have tightened or eased over the past three months, please so report them regardless of how they stand relative to longer-term norms. Also, please report changes in enforcement of existing policies as changes in policies.

1. Over the past three months, how have your bank's credit standards for approving applications for C&I loans or credit lines—other than those to be used to finance mergers and acquisitions—changed?

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	0	0.0
Remained basically unchanged	23	100.0
Eased somewhat	0	0.0
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

2. For applications for C&I loans or credit lines—other than those to be used to finance mergers and acquisitions—that your bank currently is willing to approve, how have the terms of those loans changed over the past three months?

a. Maximum size of credit lines

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	0	0.0
Remained basically unchanged	18	78.3
Eased somewhat	5	21.7
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

b. Maximum maturity of loans or credit lines

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	0	0.0
Remained basically unchanged	20	87.0
Eased somewhat	3	13.0
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

c. Costs of credit lines

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	1	4.5
Remained basically unchanged	19	86.4
Eased somewhat	2	9.1
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	22	100.0

d. Spreads of loan rates over your bank's cost of funds (wider spreads=tightened, narrower spreads=eased)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	1	4.5
Tightened somewhat	2	9.1
Remained basically unchanged	14	63.6
Eased somewhat	5	22.7
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	22	100.0

e. Premiums charged on riskier loans

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	1	4.8
Tightened somewhat	3	14.3
Remained basically unchanged	15	71.4
Eased somewhat	2	9.5
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	21	100.0

f. Loan covenants

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	1	4.3
Remained basically unchanged	20	87.0
Eased somewhat	2	8.7
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

g. Collateralization requirements

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	1	4.3
Remained basically unchanged	22	95.7
Eased somewhat	0	0.0
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

3. If your bank has tightened or eased its credit standards or its terms for C&I loans or credit lines over the past three months (as described in questions 1 and 2), how important have been the following possible reasons for the change?

A. Possible reasons for tightening credit standards or loan terms:

a. Deterioration in your bank's current or expected capital position

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	4	100.0
Somewhat important	0	0.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

b. Less favorable or more uncertain economic outlook

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	1	25.0
Somewhat important	2	50.0
Very important	1	25.0
Total	4	100.0

c. Worsening of industry-specific problems (please specify industries)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	75.0
Somewhat important	1	25.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

d. Less aggressive competition from other banks or nonbank lenders (other financial intermediaries or the capital markets)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	75.0
Somewhat important	1	25.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

e. Reduced tolerance for risk

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	75.0
Somewhat important	1	25.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

f. Decreased liquidity in the secondary market for these loans

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	50.0
Somewhat important	2	50.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

g. Increase in defaults by borrowers in public debt markets

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	75.0
Somewhat important	1	25.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

h. Deterioration in your bank's current or expected liquidity position

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	75.0
Somewhat important	1	25.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	4	100.0

B. Possible reasons for easing credit standards or loan terms:

a. Improvement in your bank's current or expected capital position

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	60.0
Somewhat important	1	20.0
Very important	1	20.0
Total	5	100.0

b. More favorable or less uncertain economic outlook

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	1	20.0
Somewhat important	3	60.0
Very important	1	20.0
Total	5	100.0

c. Improvement in industry-specific problems (please specify industries)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	40.0
Somewhat important	3	60.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	5	100.0

d. More aggressive competition from other banks or nonbank lenders (other financial intermediaries or the capital markets)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	0	0.0
Somewhat important	3	60.0
Very important	2	40.0
Total	5	100.0

e. Increased tolerance for risk

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	60.0
Somewhat important	2	40.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	5	100.0

f. Increased liquidity in the secondary market for these loans

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	60.0
Somewhat important	2	40.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	5	100.0

g. Reduction in defaults by borrowers in public debt markets

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	40.0
Somewhat important	3	60.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	5	100.0

h. Improvement in your bank's current or expected liquidity position

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	5	100.0
Somewhat important	0	0.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	5	100.0

4. Apart from normal seasonal variation, how has demand for C&I loans changed over the past three months? (Please consider only funds actually disbursed as opposed to requests for new or increased lines of credit.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Substantially stronger	0	0.0
Moderately stronger	7	30.4
About the same	14	60.9
Moderately weaker	2	8.7
Substantially weaker	0	0.0
Total	23	100.0

5. If demand for C&I loans has strengthened or weakened over the past three months (as described in question 4), how important have been the following possible reasons for the change?

A. If stronger loan demand (answer 1 or 2 to question 4), possible reasons:

a. Customer inventory financing needs increased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	3	42.9
Somewhat important	4	57.1
Very important	0	0.0
Total	7	100.0

b. Customer accounts receivable financing needs increased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	4	57.1
Somewhat important	3	42.9
Very important	0	0.0
Total	7	100.0

c. Customer investment in plant or equipment increased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	28.6
Somewhat important	5	71.4
Very important	0	0.0
Total	7	100.0

d. Customer internally generated funds decreased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	4	57.1
Somewhat important	1	14.3
Very important	2	28.6
Total	7	100.0

e. Customer merger or acquisition financing needs increased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	28.6
Somewhat important	2	28.6
Very important	3	42.9
Total	7	100.0

f. Customer borrowing shifted to your bank from other bank or nonbank sources because these other sources became less attractive

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	2	28.6
Somewhat important	5	71.4
Very important	0	0.0
Total	7	100.0

B. If weaker loan demand (answer 4 or 5 to question 4), possible reasons:

a. Customer inventory financing needs decreased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	1	50.0
Somewhat important	1	50.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	2	100.0

b. Customer accounts receivable financing needs decreased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	1	50.0
Somewhat important	1	50.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	2	100.0

c. Customer investment in plant or equipment decreased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	0	0.0
Somewhat important	2	100.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	2	100.0

d. Customer internally generated funds increased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	0	0.0
Somewhat important	0	0.0
Very important	2	100.0
Total	2	100.0

e. Customer merger or acquisition financing needs decreased

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	0	0.0
Somewhat important	0	0.0
Very important	2	100.0
Total	2	100.0

f. Customer borrowing shifted from your bank to other bank or nonbank credit sources because these other sources became more attractive

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Not important	1	50.0
Somewhat important	1	50.0
Very important	0	0.0
Total	2	100.0

6. At your bank, how has the number of inquiries from potential business borrowers regarding the availability and terms of new credit lines or increases in existing lines changed over the past three months? (Please consider only inquiries for additional or increased C&I lines as opposed to the refinancing of existing loans.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
The number of inquiries has increased substantially	0	0.0
The number of inquiries has increased moderately	10	47.6
The number of inquiries has stayed about the same	10	47.6
The number of inquiries has decreased moderately	1	4.8
The number of inquiries has decreased substantially	0	0.0
Total	21	100.0

Current fiscal and financial strains in Europe may have adversely affected the outlook for companies headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries. Questions 7-8 deal with changes in your bank's lending policies towards European firms and their affiliates and subsidiaries over the past three months. In addition, developments in Europe may have affected the demand for credit from U.S. banks by European firms and their affiliates and subsidiaries. Questions 9-12 deal with such changes in demand. Please answer the following questions about European firms and their affiliates and subsidiaries regardless of the locations of the affiliates and subsidiaries.

7. Over the past three months, how have your bank's credit standards and terms for approving applications for C&I loans or credit lines—other than those to be used to finance mergers and acquisitions—from nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries changed?

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	0	0.0
Tightened somewhat	1	6.3
Remained basically unchanged	15	93.8
Eased somewhat	0	0.0
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	16	100.0

For this question, 7 respondents answered “My bank does not make C&I loans or extend credit lines to nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

8. Over the past three months, how have your bank's credit standards and terms for approving applications for loans or credit lines—other than those to be used to finance mergers and acquisitions—from banks headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries changed?

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	1	8.3
Tightened somewhat	2	16.7
Remained basically unchanged	8	66.7
Eased somewhat	1	8.3
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	12	100.0

For this question, 9 respondents answered “My bank does not make loans or extend credit lines to banks headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

9. Apart from normal seasonal variation, how has demand for C&I loans from nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries changed over the past three months? (Please consider only funds actually disbursed as opposed to requests for new or increased lines of credit.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Substantially stronger	0	0.0
Moderately stronger	2	12.5
About the same	13	81.3
Moderately weaker	0	0.0
Substantially weaker	1	6.3
Total	16	100.0

For this question, 7 respondents answered “My bank does not make C&I loans to nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

10. Apart from normal seasonal variation, how has demand for loans from banks headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries changed over the past three months? (Please consider only funds actually disbursed as opposed to requests for new or increased lines of credit.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Substantially stronger	0	0.0
Moderately stronger	2	14.3
About the same	10	71.4
Moderately weaker	0	0.0
Substantially weaker	2	14.3
Total	14	100.0

For this question, 7 respondents answered “My bank does not make loans to banks headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

11. At your bank, how has the number of inquiries from nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries regarding the availability and terms of new credit lines or increases in existing lines changed over the past three months? (Please consider only inquiries for additional or increased C&I lines as opposed to the refinancing of existing loans.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
The number of inquiries has increased substantially	0	0.0
The number of inquiries has increased moderately	4	26.7
The number of inquiries has stayed about the same	10	66.7
The number of inquiries has decreased moderately	0	0.0
The number of inquiries has decreased substantially	1	6.7
Total	15	100.0

For this question, 7 respondents answered “My bank does not extend credit lines to nonfinancial companies headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

12. At your bank, how has the number of inquiries from banks headquartered in Europe and their affiliates and subsidiaries regarding the availability and terms of new credit lines or increases in existing lines changed over the past three months? (Please consider only inquiries for additional or increased lines as opposed to the refinancing of existing loans.)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
The number of inquiries has increased substantially	0	0.0
The number of inquiries has increased moderately	2	16.7
The number of inquiries has stayed about the same	9	75.0
The number of inquiries has decreased moderately	0	0.0
The number of inquiries has decreased substantially	1	8.3
Total	12	100.0

For this question, 8 respondents answered “My bank does not extend credit lines to banks headquartered in Europe or their affiliates or subsidiaries.”

Questions 13-14 ask about commercial real estate (CRE) loans at your bank, including construction and land development loans and loans secured by nonfarm nonresidential real estate. Question 13 deals with changes in your bank's standards over the past three months. Question 14 deals with changes in demand. If your bank's lending standards or terms have not changed over the relevant period, please report them as unchanged even if they are either restrictive or accommodative relative to longer-term norms. If your bank's standards or terms have tightened or eased over the relevant period, please so report them regardless of how they stand relative to longer-term norms. Also, please report changes in enforcement of existing standards as changes in standards.

13. Over the past three months, how have your bank's credit standards for approving applications for CRE loans changed?

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Tightened considerably	1	6.3
Tightened somewhat	2	12.5
Remained basically unchanged	12	75.0
Eased somewhat	1	6.3
Eased considerably	0	0.0
Total	16	100.0

14. Apart from normal seasonal variation, how has demand for CRE loans changed over the past three months?

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Substantially stronger	0	0.0
Moderately stronger	1	7.1
About the same	11	78.6
Moderately weaker	2	14.3
Substantially weaker	0	0.0
Total	14	100.0

15. Over the past three months, how has your bank changed the size of credit lines for existing customers with the following types of accounts? Please consider changes made to line sizes during the life of existing credit agreements as well as changes made to line sizes upon renewal or renegotiation of existing agreements.

a. Business credit card accounts

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Increased considerably	0	0.0
Increased somewhat	0	0.0
Remained basically unchanged	3	100.0
Decreased somewhat	0	0.0
Decreased considerably	0	0.0
Total	3	100.0

b. C&I credit lines (excluding business credit card accounts)

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Increased considerably	0	0.0
Increased somewhat	8	38.1
Remained basically unchanged	13	61.9
Decreased somewhat	0	0.0
Decreased considerably	0	0.0
Total	21	100.0

c. Commercial construction lines of credit

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Increased considerably	0	0.0
Increased somewhat	0	0.0
Remained basically unchanged	10	83.3
Decreased somewhat	1	8.3
Decreased considerably	1	8.3
Total	12	100.0

d. Lines of credit for financial firms

	All Respondents
	Banks	Percent
Increased considerably	0	0.0
Increased somewhat	2	14.3
Remained basically unchanged	10	71.4
Decreased somewhat	2	14.3
Decreased considerably	0	0.0
Total	14	100.0

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1. As of March 31, 2010, the 23 respondents had combined assets of $1.0 trillion, compared to $1.9 trillion for all foreign related banking institutions in the United States. The sample is selected from among the largest foreign-related banking institutions in those Federal Reserve Districts where such institutions are common.

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Last update: August 16, 2010