Equipment Finance Market Unchanged

The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) recently released its July 2026 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI), revealing confidence in the equipment finance market is 63.7, unchanged from the June index. The index provides a qualitative assessment from key executives in the $1.3 trillion equipment finance industry.

ELFA’s over 600 member companies provide essential financing that helps businesses acquire the equipment they need to operate and grow.

July 2026 Survey Results:

• Business Conditions – When assessing the next four months, 22.7% of responding executives believe business conditions will improve, down from 30.4% in June. Those who believe business conditions will remain the same increased to 72.7% from 65.5% the previous month. The percentage of executives who believe business conditions will worsen was relatively unchanged at 4.6%.
• Capex Demand – For the next four months, 28.6% of the survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase (down from 31.8% in June). Additionally, 66.7% expect demand to remain the same (up from 59.1% last month), and 4.6% believe demand will decline (down from 9.1% in June).
• Access to Capital – Over the next four months, 33.3% of respondents expect greater access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions, an increase from 27.3% in June. The majority (66.7%) anticipate the “same” access to capital to fund business, a decrease from 72.7% the previous month. None expect “less” access to capital, unchanged from June.
• Employment – Regarding employment over the next four months, 54.6% of executives expect to hire more employees, an increase from 50% in June. Also, 36.4% foresee no change in headcount (down from 50% last month), and 9.1% expect to hire fewer employees, up from none in June.
• U.S. Economy – Of the respondents, 15% evaluate the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” up from 8.3% in June; 80% assess it as “fair,” down from 87.5% last month; and 5% evaluate it as “poor,” up slightly from 4.2% in June.
• Economic Outlook – Over the next six months, 22.7% of respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will “get better,” a decrease from 25% in June. Another 63.6% expect the U.S. economy to “stay the same,” up from 50% last month; and 13.6% believe economic conditions will worsen, a decrease from 25% in June.
• Business Development Spending – Over the next six months, 40.9% of respondents believe their company will increase spending on business development activities, a decrease from 45.8% in June. Those who believe there will be “no change” in business development spending increased to 59.1% (from 54.2% in June), and none believe there will be a decrease in spending, unchanged from last month.