Bank portfolio loans grew to 34 percent of all originations in the first half of the year, according to data from the Urban Institute.
MarketWatch reports that this is the highest rate since 2002. Loans have been found to be highly profitable for lenders.
Urban’s monthly chartbook also cites New York Fed data that shows that net originator profit — how much a bank makes after expenses — was $3.09 per $100 of loan in August. Even taking into account a 2012 boom during which profits averaged nearly $4.00 per $100, the most recent month is higher than the post-crisis average. It’s also nearly double the profit averaged during the bubble years.
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