CNBC’s Jim Cramer declared Thursday that a recent spike in bad bank loans is the signal the Federal Reserve needs to begin cutting interest rates, arguing that the “credit cavalry is right on time” to rescue the market.

Credit Issues With Banks To Motivate Fed’s Rate Cuts

Cramer explained on “Mad Money” that these credit losses, while painful for the banks, are a definitive sign of a slowing economy that will motivate the Fed to act swiftly.

“Nothing motivates the Fed to move faster than credit losses because they’re a definitive sign that the economy is going south,” Cramer said.

He pointed to recent sour loans reported by Zions Bancorporation NA (NASDAQ:ZION), which announced on Wednesday evening that it had incurred a sizable charge due to bad loans to a couple of borrowers. Meanwhile, Western Alliance Bancorp (NYSE:WAL) alleged on Thursday that a borrower had committed fraud.

Cramer called the ...