Bank Credit Highest Since Before Lehman as U.S. Growth Continues

U.S. bank credit is growing at the fastest pace in three years, giving the Federal Reserve confidence in the economic expansion’s staying power.

Financial institutions increased commercial and industrial loans by an average annual pace of almost 10 percent in the third quarter, the highest since the comparable quarter in 2008, compared with a 1.7 percent decline in the past four years, according to Fed data. The latest numbers show loan growth of 15 percent, seasonally adjusted, in October and 6.1 percent in November.