Celent Disputes Credit Market Theories

A consulting firm is challenging a number of assumptions that U.S. policymakers are applying to fight the credit crisis.

Far from seeing a tightening of credit, a number of gauges show that credit has expanded, according to Celent Communications Inc., Boston. Celent finds, too, that the lending markets are in surprisingly good health.

The company cites data published by the Federal Reserve System and other sources showing that:

–Overall lending by US banks as well as interbank lending and consumer credit are all at record highs and actually have increased during the credit crisis.