(Reuters) – U.S. companies’ borrowings for capital investments fell 9% in October from a year earlier, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) said on Friday.
The companies signed up for $9.2 billion in new loans, leases and lines of credit last month. Borrowings in October rose 6% from the previous month.
“The equipment finance industry shows resilience in the face of a worsening health pandemic and uneven economic performance in the U.S,” ELFA Chief Executive Officer Ralph Petta said.
“Hopefully, this struggle to get back to a sense of normalcy will not be overtaken by a double dip recession caused by worsening COVID-19 outbreaks reported in some states around the nation.”
Washington-based ELFA, which reports economic activity for the nearly $1-trillion equipment finance sector, said credit approvals fell to 72.3% in October from 72.9% in September.
ELFA’s leasing and finance index measures the volume of commercial equipment financed in the United States.
The index is based on a survey of 25 members, including Bank of America Corp
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation, ELFA’s non-profit affiliate, reported monthly confidence index of 56.1 in November, up from the October reading of 55.
A reading of above 50 indicates a positive business outlook.
(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)
