U.S. business borrowing for equipment rises 8% in Nov - ELFA

Reuters

Published Dec 21, 2021 03:16PM ET

Updated Dec 21, 2021 03:27PM ET

(Reuters) - U.S. companies borrowing funds to finance their investments in equipment rose 8% in November, compared with a year earlier, Washington-based Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) said on Tuesday.

Firms signed up for $7.9 billion in new loans, leases and lines of credit last month, up from $7.3 billion a year earlier. Borrowings, however, are down 26% from October.

"Supply chain disruptions continue to plague an otherwise strong economy, creating inflationary pressures that are a concern for many Americans." ELFA's Chief Executive Officer Ralph Petta said in a statement.

"The hope is that the Fed (U.S. Federal Reserve) does not choke off the recovery (of the economy) in its efforts to control further inflation."

ELFA, which reports economic activity for the nearly $1-trillion equipment finance sector, said credit approvals totaled 77.2%, down from 78% in October.

The Washington-based body's leasing and finance index measures the volume of commercial equipment financed in the United States.