Non-bank lenders like OnDeck, CAN Capital and Kabbage have originated billions in small business loans, but some fear they might be repeating the mistakes made by banks with subprime mortgages; recent overdue payments on securitizations are raising questions about predatory lending and marketing tactics; the small business market is significantly smaller than the mortgage market, and so the risk of another global financial crisis is small. Source
Tuesday's 3.2% GDP growth rate report is an indication of expanding economic growth in the US which increases the probability of a rate hike from the Federal Reserve in December; a continued positive trend in economic growth is also likely to lead to five interest rate increases through 2018; consumer spending appears to be the leading catalyst for current economic growth and the source cautions that it could lead to problems for the marketplace lending credit market; consumer spending has been driven by increased credit balances but as rates rise, risks from these borrowers are also likely to increase which could affect platform defaults and securitization portfolios with the greatest risks in unsecured loans. Source
The Federal Open Market Committee raised its target for the federal funds rate to 0.50% to 0.75% at its December meeting; Fed officials also signaled a more aggressive approach for rate increases in 2017 with projections showing the potential for three more rate increases next year; improvements in the labor market, positive GDP growth and stable inflation were key market factors for the rate increase. Source
Since 2008, a number of changes have occurred affecting the U.S. financial industry and its regulations; simultaneously financial technology has also been evolving rapidly and market conditions have actually been a catalyst for P2P lending platforms; Forbes finds, as many market experts have recently discussed, that P2P lending platforms' extension of credit to a more diverse range of borrowers and built in accountability through investors and lenders, is providing a new type of support for the credit market that could help to prevent another crisis in the future. Source
