Commercial lending

Small businesses are essential to the ongoing prosperity of the United States, but they are not well served by the country's largest banks. For everyone's sake, that needs to change.

Hendricks County Bank loan officers are using Abrigo's Community Lending platform to help small-business loans get approval more quickly.

The European Union is proposing rules that would make it easier for banks to sell off mortgages and reduce the amount of capital they must hold against certain bundled loans.

Citadel Credit Union is joining the small cadre of credit unions active in the Small Business Administration's biggest loan program as it seeks to expand in its small-business-rich footprint.

The Small Business Administration is implementing a freeze on new Community Advantage lenders, citing a surge in problem loans. The program grew during the previous administration as part of a push to expand the access that entrepreneurs who are members of disadvantaged groups have to capital.

Junk-rated companies and private equity firms have lined up about $17 billion of debt recently for purchases of everything from power plants to a chain of gas stations using 364-day bridge loans.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said tariffs could have an outsize impact on small businesses and hardships could outlive the trade policy debate.

A 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs between the U.S. and China boosted the near-term economic outlook for banks, but tensions and uncertainty around trade barriers remain high.