Banks report slightly stricter loans to businesses — BSP

A recent survey of recent loan officers of 24 commercial banks found that while lending standards remained unchanged late last year, expected in the first quarter of 2012 is a “slight tightening” of credit standards overall, but “particularly for top corporations and middle-market enterprises.   The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released on Friday the survey findings, which also showed that last quarter  “maturities appear to have lengthened” for small and medium enterprises and large middle-market firms.   Loan officers also said that in the fourth quarter of 2011, there was “an overall slight tightening in terms of the use of interest rate floors for loans” to these particular sectors.   They also reported stricter standards applied on loan applications of micro enterprises.   “In terms of specific credit standards for loans to households, survey responses indicated unchanged standards on collateral requirements, loan covenants, and loan maturities across all types of household loans,” the BSP said.   Loans to households, individuals   Based on the loan officers’ responses, there was “a slight widening of loan margins for housing loans, increase in credit lines for housing and auto loans, and less use of interest rate floors for personal/salary loans.”   The BSP statement said the banks indicated that credit standards would likely remain unchanged for credit card and auto loans while those for housing and personal/salary loans would likely ease somewhat in the near term.