Bank lending rarely commands the attention that payrolls, inflation or consumer spending do. But it helps determine how much momentum the economy can sustain. The Role of C&I Loans: Commercial and industrial (C&I) loans, the workhorse of corporate finance, pay for everything from working capital to machinery and software. What Borrowing Signals: When banks are willing to lend and companies are eager to borrow, it suggests executives see enough opportunity ahead to put money to work.
