Asset finance sentiment doubles year-on-year, as broker economic concerns ease

Brokers report fewer external headwinds than last August while demand signals improve across loan types. The August 2025 Broker Pulse: Commercial Lending snapshot points to a more supportive environment for deal flow, led by a sharp year-on-year lift in asset finance sentiment and lower concern about economic and trade disruption.

Key stats you need to know

• 55% of brokers expect asset finance demand to rise in the next three months, a net positive sentiment that is roughly double last August.
  
  
• 54% of brokers cite economic or trade disruption as a top issue, which is substantially lower than last August (67%) and consistent with easing macro pressures.
  
  
• Non-bank business lenders shine, with the majority receiving better broker satisfaction for their application process, credit assessment, and settlement relative to all other lender types.

Economic pressures on brokerages are easing year-on-year

• Economic or trade disruption remains the top cited issue, yet the share of brokers flagging it is lower than in August 2024.
  
  
• Regulatory and lender service concerns sit at 50%, which is not rising year on year and suggests stabilising operational conditions.
  
  
• The reduction in macro concern aligns with firmer forward demand across sectors in August 2025.
  
  
• Brokers are encountering fewer external shocks in 2025 than in the same month last year, improving planning confidence.
  
  
• Lower perceived macro risk is coinciding with faster execution windows at several lenders, reinforcing end-to-end momentum.

The year-on-year comparison indicates that macro uncertainty has moderated since August 2024, supporting stronger pipelines into late Q3. This easing backdrop is allowing brokerages to prioritise origination and client acquisition rather than contingency management.

“Twelve months on, the picture is cleaner. External volatility has stepped down while client appetite steps up, which is exactly the mix that lets brokerages lean back into growth,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence.

Asset finance is the standout, with sentiment roughly double last August

• 55% of brokers anticipate asset finance growth in the next quarter, the strongest reading among major categories.
  
  
• The August 2025 net positive sentiment for asset finance is roughly twice the level recorded in August 2024, pointing to a structural uplift in equipment and vehicle investment.
  
  
• Speed remains a catalyst, with Autopay averaging 0.8 days for approvals in asset finance.
  
  
• Asset finance momentum is broad-based across transport and equipment categories, reinforcing resilience beyond a single industry driver.

The combination of stronger client demand and rapid decisioning is compounding gains in asset finance. Year-on-year, this category has shifted from cyclical to sustained growth, helped by specialist lenders that convert clean files quickly.

“Asset finance is no longer a niche upswing. The year-on-year lift tells us businesses are back investing and brokers are routing those deals to lenders that can turn them around at speed,” said Michael Johnson.

Faster approvals and steadier service reinforce business loan demand compared with last August

• Business loan approvals at Prospa averaged 1.4 days in August 2025, reinforcing a faster baseline than last August.
  
  
• Commercial mortgage approvals at ORDE Financial averaged 2.5 days, well below typical multi-day bank processes noted last year.

Relative to last August, the market’s operational footing is firmer. Faster decisioning and stronger BDM engagement are lifting throughput at the same time that macro concerns have eased, which is a constructive setup for volumes into spring.

“When you put lower macro friction alongside faster credit processes, you get a cleaner pipeline. That is what we are seeing in August this year versus last,” said Michael Johnson.

Non-bank lenders outperform across the entire broker journey, while credit assessment remains industry weak spot

• Credit assessment satisfaction varies widely by lender, from the low 50s to above 90%, creating clear competitive differentiation year on year.
  
  
• Broker satisfaction with non-bank BDMs remains very high, with several lenders scoring above 90% in August 2025.
  
  
• Non-bank lenders received higher satisfaction scores throughout the broker journey from application to settlement compared to other lenders.

Tracking broker satisfaction with lender interactions, lender BDMs remains a strength for most lenders, as satisfaction scores outpaces the application process, credit assessment or settlement. Across the board, credit assessment remains the most poorly rated stage, particularly for major banks. Meanwhile, the majority of non-bank business lenders receive high satisfaction scores for their BDMs, application process, credit assessment and settlement compared to all other lender types. 

"BDMs are the standout performers, but credit assessment is where lenders can achieve differentiation. Non-bank business lenders appear to be dominating that space," said Michael Johnson.

‍About the research

The Broker Pulse: Commercial Lending report is a community-driven benchmarking initiative capturing the experiences of commercial and asset finance brokers across Australia. The latest edition captures experiences for applications submitted throughout August 2025, with the survey conducted between 1st to 23rd September 2025, with a total usable sample of 265 mortgage, finance and commercial brokers, including 129 active commercial brokers. The report includes data across asset finance, business loans, and commercial mortgages, and is conducted by Agile Market Intelligence in partnership with the Commercial & Asset Finance Brokers Association (CAFBA).