October 12, 2026
Credit Is Still Flowing, and Businesses Are Borrowing
Jeffrey Roach, PhD, Chief Economist, LPL Financial
Aaron Cleary, Associate Analyst
Phoebe Huynh, Associate Analyst
Bank lending rarely commands the attention that payrolls, inflation, or consumer spending do. But it helps determine how much momentum the economy can sustain. Commercial and industrial (C&I) loans, the workhorse of corporate finance, pay for everything from working capital to machinery and software. When banks are willing to lend and companies are eager to borrow, it suggests executives see enough opportunity ahead to put money to work.
