Careful Lending

REVIEW SUMMARY
Industry. Banking
Trend. The number of profitable banks on the Gulf Coast is rising.
Key. Healthy banks are lending.

When business owners complain that banks aren't lending, they're about half right.

Data compiled from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. show that about half of the 56 banks on the Gulf Coast lent more money in the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2010. The other half shrank their loan portfolios.