Lending to SMEs improving but demand for credit and financial knowledge remains weak, says OECD report

A new OECD report on SME financing in 39 countries around the world suggests that while lending to SMEs is improving, a stronger economic recovery is being held back in part by demand-side barriers – such as low demand for credit and small business people’s lack of financial knowledge.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report – “Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2017: An OECD Scoreboard” – is now in its sixth edition. It provides a comprehensive view across 39 countries of various aspects of financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including lending to SMEs, debt, asset-based finance, equity, solvency, and government policies.