Conditions may be improving for business credit demand, if a survey of the views of corporate credit mangers is any guide.A survey by Veda, released this week, shows:• The number of credit applications has risen for 32 per cent of credit managers and has remained the same for 53 per cent. Fifteen per cent of credit managers said there was no increase in applications for trade credit last year.• Two-thirds of credit managers said they had adopted stricter lending criteria over the last year, while 16 per cent said they might loosen these criteria over the next six months.• Fifty-one per cent of participants will accept a credit application if a default is recorded, compared to 31 per cent in 2011.• Fewer credit managers are offering 30 day terms, however.The credit managers surveyed came mainly from manufacturing organisations that operate on a national scale and have more than 100 employees.Business lending by banks has been on a declining trend over the past 12 months.