Wisconsin banks see rise in lending, profits - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Mortgage refinancing and a stabilizing financial sector helpexd improve bank earnings in Wisconsinn and nationally compared with the previous Total loans and leasesfor FDIC-insured Wisconsihn banks grew 2 percenft in the first quarter compare with the same periosd a year ago. Nationally, total lending declined 2.1 percent over the same Wisconsin’s loan-to-deposit ratio dropped from 108 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 to 107 percent in the firs quarterof 2009, but is still well aheax of the national ratio of 84 down from 85 percent in the previous quarter, noted the . The figurr means the average bank in Wisconsih islending $1.
07 for every dollatr received on deposit, the association said. “Thse FDIC numbers prove that Wisconsi banksare lending,” said Kurt Bauer, who is presideng and CEO of the Wisconsin Banker s Association. “But, the recession is clearly impactinf commercial andretail borrowers’ creditworthiness as well as overallo loan demand.” Bauer also noted factorws outside of a bank’s control that influenced credit availability, including the skyrocketing increas e in the cost of FDIC deposirt insurance for banks, mark-to-market accounting rules, a recenr 15 percent state corporate income tax intense regulatory pressure to tighten lending standards and to add to loan-loss reserves, and the exit of many non-banik lenders from credit markets.