This Economic Letter examines the rise in commercial real estate (CRE) lending concentration at commercial banks and the performance of CRE loans since the early 1990s. The analysis shows that while concentration in CRE lending has increased substantially at many banks, for those banks with CRE...

Commercial real estate construction faltered during the 2007 recession and has improved only slowly during the recovery. However, low interest rates have led to higher property valuations and are clearly benefiting the sector. The recovery of commercial property prices has been notable. Some...

Many credit line agreements contain restrictive covenants and other contingencies that may limit the ability of borrowers to draw on their lines, which is a particular concern to small firms. This Economic Letter reviews recent empirical studies that suggest that private firms’ access to...