“With another round of interest rate hikes scheduled before year-end, we will be monitoring closely any changes in business conditions.”
Washington-based ELFA, which reports economic activity for the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, said credit approvals were 76.5 percent in October, up from 75.7 percent in September.
ELFA’s leasing and finance index measures the volume of commercial equipment financed in the United States. It is designed to complement the U.S. Commerce Department’s durable goods orders report, which it typically precedes by a few days.
ELFA’s index is based on a survey of 25 members that include Bank of America, BB&T, CIT Group, and the financing affiliates or units of Caterpillar, Siemens, Canon, and Volvo.
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation, ELFA’s non-profit affiliate, said its confidence index for November was 58.5, down from the October index of 63.2.
A reading of above 50 indicates a positive outlook.
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