NEW YORK – While banks kept lending standards unchanged in the first quarter, demand weakened further, according to the April 2010 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices, released by the Fed this afternoon.,
Most banks that reported easing some lending policies were large banks. “A number of large domestic banks eased standards and some terms on commercial and industrial (C&I) loans to large and middle-market firms,” the survey said. “Branches and agencies of foreign banks also reported easing standards and terms on C&I loans, on net. However, standards on C&I loans to small firms were roughly unchanged, and terms on such loans were tightened further over the past three months.”
Large banks also reported easing standards for mortgages and home equity lines of credit, while other banks tightened standards for both categories of lending.
