Regional Banks Roar Back? Q3 Surprises, Mega‑Mergers—and the One Risk Still Haunting 2025
Key facts: After two straight Fed cuts took the policy range down again in late October, the October Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey painted a nuanced picture: tighter C&I standards on balance, but basically unchanged CRE standards and stronger demand for mortgages and HELOCs. In other words, lending isn’t shutting down, but banks are still protective—especially on business credit. Federal Reserve