Economy

U.S. Bank’s CFO Insights Report Shows Finance Leaders Have Shifted to Defense Mode

U.S. corporate finance leaders have firmly pivoted their focus from revenue growth to cost control as they navigate through an uncertain economic environment and rapidly changing business landscape, according to U.S. Bank’s 2023 CFO Insights Report. read more

ELFA’s Monthly Leasing and Finance Index Shows 14% Y/Y Increase in August New Business Volume

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Monthly Leasing and Finance Index showed overall new business volume for August was $10.1 billion, up 14% year over year from new business volume in August 2022. read more

SMB Optimism, Expectations for Profitability Rise Despite Lingering Economic Concerns

According to Umpqua Bank’s recently released annual business barometer, while concerns about the direction of the U.S. economy persist, business optimism is rising and expectations for revenue and profitability are increasing. read more

More Than Half of Restaurant Operators Are Planning Increase to Equipment Budgets

More than half of restaurant operators are planning to increase their equipment and supply budgets in 2023, and 67% plan to make kitchen equipment replacements, according to a new study released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. read more

Small Businesses Remain Confident, Undeterred by Economic Outlook

Nearly eight out of 10 small business owners feel a strong degree of confidence that their companies will grow over the next year even amid rocky market conditions, according to the ninth annual First Citizens Bank Small Business Forecast. read more

Small Business Loan Approval Rates Continue to Slide at Big Banks

Small business loan approval percentages at big banks (more than $10 billion in assets) fell from 13.3% in July to 13.2% in August, according to the latest Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index. Big bank lending to small businesses has now dipped every month since June 2022. read more

KBRA: Private Credit ABS Volume Continues at Healthy Clip

According to new research from Kroll Bond Rating Agency, private asset-backed securities as a proportion of KBRA’s total ABS rating assignments have routinely approached or exceeded 25% of the transaction mix dating back to 2020. read more

Business Owner Optimism Reaches 21-Year High Despite Lingering Hiring Concerns

According to the most recent release of PNC’s semi-annual survey of small and mid-sized businesses, business owner optimism about the outlook for their businesses in the next six months has reached a 21-year high amid strong expectations for sales, profits and demand. read more

Commercial Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filings Increase 54% Y/Y in August

There were 634 commercial Chapter 11 filings registered in August, an increase of 54% from the 411 filings registered in August 2022, according to data provided by Epiq Bankruptcy. read more

Equipment Finance Industry Confidence Improves Again in August

According to the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s August Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI), overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 50.4, an increase from the July index of 46.4. read more

TD Bank Survey Shows Consumers Are Seeking Lower-Priced Options to Combat Inflation

According to TD Bank’s 2023 Consumer Spending Index, four out of five consumers have had their spending habits impacted by inflation, with more than half turning to discounts and promotions (57%) and seeking lower-priced options (53%) to combat inflation. read more

Economic Activity in Hospital Sector Grows in July

Economic activity in the hospital subsector grew in July for the second consecutive month after one month of contraction preceded by 35 consecutive months of growth, according to the latest Hospital ISM Report on Business from the Institute for Supply Management. read more

July Small Business Loan Approval Rates Drop at Big Banks, Increase with Other Lenders

Small business loan approval rates at big banks (more than $10 billion in assets) dropped from 13.4% in June to 13.3% in July, according to Biz2Credit’s Small Business Lending Index. Meanwhile, approval rates at smaller banks and non-bank lenders increased.   read more

ISM Reports Continued Economic Activity Expansion in Services Sector

Economic activity in the services sector expanded in July for the seventh consecutive month, as the Services PMI registered 52.7%, according to the Institute for Supply Management. The sector has grown in 37 of the last 38 months, with the lone contraction in December of last year. read more

Truck Freight Volume & Spending Decline by Sharpest Amount Since Early COVID-19 Pandemic

Truck freight volume and spending in Q2/23 declined by the highest levels since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. Spending by shippers dropped 10.9% in the quarter compared with Q2/233, while shipment volume dropped 9%. read more

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