The January 2012 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices released by The Federal Reserve Board addressed changes in the supply of, and demand for, bank loans to businesses and households over the past three months. The summary report is based on responses from 56 domestic banks and 23 U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks.

Overall, in the January survey, domestic banks reported that their lending standards had changed little and that they had experienced somewhat stronger loan demand, on net, over the past three months.
 
Regarding business loans, domestic banks reported, on balance, little change in standards on commercial and industrial (C&I) loans but a continued easing of pricing terms on such loans during the fourth quarter.
 
Domestic banks reportedly experienced stronger demand for C&I loans from firms of all sizes on net. The net fraction of banks reporting increased demand from small firms rose to its highest level since 2005.
 
Domestic banks continued to report little change in their standards for CRE loans, but modest net fractions had eased some loan terms over the past year. Moderate net fractions of domestic banks reported that demand for CRE loans had strengthened in the fourth quarter. Modest net fractions of foreign respondents reported having tightened standards for CRE loans.