Small business lending

The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston said the central bank had acquired stakes in 32 business loans as of Monday, four times the amount from two weeks earlier.

The card giant could pay $850 million in cash for the online small-business lender, according to a person familiar with the talks.

The Small Business Administration began accepting applications Monday, but lenders such as JPMorgan Chase are holding off in hopes that Congress will grant blanket forgiveness for smaller Paycheck Protection Program loans.

A survey of companies that received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program also showed that respondents on average have cut their payroll costs by more than half.

Many sellers are ditching the loans to avoid the cumbersome forgiveness process. For others, the Paycheck Protection Program was never a strategic fit.

The owner of The Shuckery in Petaluma, Calif., says she was unable to get a Paycheck Protection Program loan until she responded to an email from the delivery service and BlueVine.

The global pandemic and stalled trade negotiations have discouraged farmers and ranchers from taking on more debt and made banks uneasy about extending more credit.

Along with the assets-under-management milestone, Michigan Business Connection noted that its partner credit unions have financed more than 1,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Besides reauthorizing the Paycheck Protection Program, Congress should upgrade the loan forgiveness process, offer businesses the chance to take out a second loan and ensure the pricing satisfies lenders, bankers say.

Over 90% of loans from CUs in the Empire State are eligible for forgiveness using the $150,000 threshold.