Many – though certainly not all – businesses and households are finding it easier to borrow than they did a few years ago, in part because of better conditions in financial markets more broadly.
Large businesses with access to capital markets have generally been able to raise funds at attractive terms, with both investment- and speculative-grade firms taking advantage of historically low interest rates to issue bonds at a robust rate. Moreover, consumers with strong credit histories have ready access to credit cards and auto loans, supported by solid issuance of consumer-related asset-backed securities.