Perhaps another sign that the economy is improving? The number of bankruptcies filed in the United States in the first half of 2012 was 14% lower overall than the first half of 2011. According to Reuters, 2012 is on pace to record the lowest number of bankruptcy filings since before the 2008 financial crisis.
While both consumer and business bankruptcies declined, business bankruptcies experienced the sharpest drop. The number of businesses filing for bankruptcy fell by 22% to 30,496, while consumer bankruptcy filings declined by 13% to 601,184.
Reuters suggests that the decrease in bankruptcy files could be attributed in part to low interest rates, which have remained low since the beginning of the financial crisis.
