The demand for corporate loans in the euro area saw a "substantial drop" in the first quarter as the region continues to dread rising borrowing costs that probably won’t be cut until the middle of the year, the European Central Bank said. Credit standards — banks'internal guidelines for loans — were a little tighter for firms across the 20-nation bloc for the first time since late 2021. “Higher interest rates as well as lower fixed investment for firms and lower consumer confidence for households exert Source
