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J.S. Held Acquires Element Forensic Engineering, Expanding Insurance-Focused Capabilities for Mid-Market and Large Loss Property Claims Across Canada
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Publication Date: September 3, 2026
Geopolitical risk/war, the possibility of a US recession, and policy risk driven by interest rates remain the leading concerns for lenders in the third quarter of 2026. A majority of lenders surveyed see constrained liquidity in capital markets, stock market instability, and political uncertainty as less pronounced yet ongoing risks. Respondents continued to identify Financial Services as the industry most likely to experience the greatest volatility.
In the J.S. Held “Lending Climate in America” survey for Q3 2026, lenders were asked to identify which sectors they expect will experience the most volatility in the coming months. The survey also reveals that lenders’ confidence in the economy weakened earlier in the year and remains below levels seen in late 2025.
READ THE COMPLETE SURVEY RESULTS HERE: Click here to view
The “Lending Climate in America” survey is administered quarterly to lenders from various commercial banks, private credit funds, finance companies, and factors across the country. Our team of experts collects, tabulates, and analyzes the results to create a complete evaluation of national attitudes and trends.
To view all "Lending Climate in America" reports, please click here.
Gauge major shifts in economic viewpoints from our proprietary survey of senior banking professionals....
Lenders indicate whether their financial institutions plan to tighten, relax, or maintain their loan structures & provide their outlook for the US economy....
Lenders indicate which sectors they consider most volatile and provide their near-term and longer-term outlooks for the US economy....