A quarterly survey of banksÂ’ senior loan officers, conducted by the Federal Reserve Board, that measures lending practices of banks throughout the United States. The survey focuses on whether it is harder or easier for companies to obtain credit and distinguishes between large corporations, the middle-market, and small corporations. It also measures whether lending standards for individuals to obtain credit, such as mortgages or credit cards, are tightening or loosening. How easily corporations or individuals can obtain credit has a direct bearing on how vibrant growth is likely to be.