Bankers Turn Cold to Hot New Ideas

If your banker seems skeptical about your new business idea, it's not just your imagination. The percentage of lenders rating "startups/new ventures" as their least-preferred borrowers jumped to 67%, up from 44% three months ago, say turnaround specialists Phoenix Management Services Inc. Now bankers want more of the old-fashioned stuff--collateral, guarantees, and higher fees. But then, they never did take stock options. EDITED BY Edited by Kimberly Weisul