Changes in the economic environment where banks and small businesses operate have raised questions about the availability of credit to small businesses. Small businesses have fewer alternatives to external finance than do large companies. A brief overview of small firm financing is offered,...

Bank capital is an important determinant of secondary market liquidity of loans that a bank originates and syndicates. Higher bank capital is associated with significantly narrower loan bid-ask spreads. This effect is stronger when banks are subject to more external financing frictions and...

We find that credit lines (CLs) play special roles in syndicated lending, committing lead banks to screen, monitor, and invest in relationships with borrowers. Institutional term loans (ITLs) packaged with CLs have lower interest rate spreads in the primary market and narrower bid-ask spreads in...