* * *
The average growth rate in commercial bank credit has been higher than in the private sector.
The company borrowed $140 million of the purchase price under its existing bank credit line.
A company or individual's bank credit depends on both the borrower's capacity to repay and the overall amount of credit available in the banking system. Bank credit for individuals expanded enormously over the past 50 years, as consumers grew accustomed to having several credit cards. Some observers were predicting that the financial crisis in 2008 could mean a return to those earlier years, when credit, although relatively cheap, was difficult to obtain, especially for those with poor credit histories.