Banks Tighten Credit

The Fed’s efforts to add liquidity to the markets are being offset by banks such as Citi, which announced that it will be raising interest rates and reducing consumer lending. Mortgage lending and credit cards will also be trimmed. Lending, to anyone, in any form, is too risky right now, and while the market is trying to deal with the mortgage and mortgage-derivatives mess, there’s fear that other areas of the financial system may fail as well: credit card lending, commercial Real Estate loans, and the list goes on. To help revive the economy, the Fed will probably cut rates again at the end of January (or, as some like to believe, perhaps sooner), but maybe a serious crunch is what the economy really needs after all. Short term, tighter credit will only extend the crisis in housing, because home buyers won’t be able to secure financing. No wonder the immense inventory of unsold homes (currently above 10 months’ worth) is not moving and home builders are struggling. With or without the Fed’s help, housing will take years to get back to normal, as consumers learn to save, budget and prioritize expenses.