most financial institutions
tightened their credit standard for corporate loans
especially for loans given to SMEs, by imposing more
stringent lending conditions and terms on borrowers.
This included, for instance, a raise in margin
requirement for high-risk borrowers and a decrease in
credit lines. Both practices reflected greater concern
on the broader economy as well as on sector-specific
risks. Nonetheless, credit standard for large firms
remained largely unchanged from the previous
quarter.