So Where Are All The Loans?

摘要

You can't ask for faster service than this: On Oct. 3, Congress reluctantly approved the $700 billion bailout bill. Ten days later, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson decided to use the first $250 billion of that money to inject new capital into the banking system. By the end of October, the first slug of government money was on its way to some of the biggest banks in the country. But despite the quick infusion of new funds, bankers are signaling that prudence may rule, so they may not be willing to lend as much as hoped. For example, James M. Wells III, chief executive of SunTrust Banks, which will receive $3.5 billion from the government, said in an Oct. 27 statement that "as long as the current uncertain and challenging economic environment persists, maintenance of capital at elevated levels is desirable."