Consumer lending remains positive for now but does a weakening consumer threaten that strength?

The collapse of several regional banks earlier this year has raised concerns around credit availability, especially as loan standards were already tightening into the spring. While Fed data shows that bank balance sheets are still expanding, loans tied to the commercial & industrial sector have declined 6% annualized over the last 13 weeks and it's consumer lending that has held up better. We discuss whether mounting weakness in consumer spend threatens lending and the role that regional banks play in the provision of credit.

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