Business lending at banks is up 3.3 percent year on year as of May 9th, improving but far below double digit gains seen in previous years; one of the bigger drivers being the lag is more competition from non bank lenders like PE firms, Hedge funds and insurance companies; “There’s more non-regulated lenders in the market all the time, and I don’t see that trend abating,” Terry Katon, head of capital markets at Regions Financial Corp. , said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal; political uncertainty and a tax law that left companies flush with cash has also led to slowing market. Source.