The volume of lending by asset managers to companies and to private equity firms buying companies is growing, as increased regulation pushes banks out of the lending business and income investors seek decent yields in an environment of record-low interest rates.  In particular, increased capital requirements and restrictions on whom they can lend to have made banks reluctant lenders. "The banking industry in the U.S. has been nationalized," says Dick Bov�, Florida-based equity research analyst at Rafferty Capital Markets. "Banks are being told how much assets they can hold and where they should go." Read more.