Here's a look at the state of interest rates on five common consumer banking products and the latest rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Feb. 2, 2005.

Mortgages
Rate: 5.67 percent (30-year fixed) Average Points: 0.32
Mortgage rates were mostly unchanged this week. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dipped from 5.68 percent to 5.67 percent, declining for the fifth consecutive week. So far, 2005 has been good to mortgage shoppers as the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has declined each week since the beginning of the year. Other mortgage products moved in a different direction, or not at all, this week. The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage popular for refinancing increased from 5.14 percent to 5.16 percent. Meanwhile, the average jumbo 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and one-year adjustable-rate mortgage were both unchanged, at 5.84 percent and 4.48 percent, respectively. The Fed has now raised interest rates six times since June, yet mortgage rates are testing the lowest levels in nearly one year. Go figure. With the Fed showing no sign of letting up, something eventually has to give.

Home equity products
Rates: 5.71 percent (line of credit); 6.98 percent (loan)
After a one-week hiatus, rates on home equity lines of credit resumed their upward march. The average HELOC rate inched one basis point higher, to 5.71 percent. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point. Rising HELOC rates will continue to be the norm as the Fed's work of boosting interest rates is not yet complete. Fixed-rate home equity loans are appealing to borrowers because of the fixed rates and the fact that rates have yet to take off. The average home equity loan rate increased from 6.96 percent to 6.98 percent this week, virtually unchanged from 6.99 percent in July when Bankrate.com switched to tracking a $30,000 loan amount in the survey. Borrowers may not want to procrastinate too much if pursuing a home equity loan, as any sudden uptick in long-term interest rates would jumpstart home equity loan rates.

Auto loans

Certificates of deposit
Rate: 2.23 percent (1-year CD yield); 3.59 percent (5-year CD yield)
It was another up week for yields on most maturities of CDs. Thanks to Alan Greenspan and the Federal Reserve, there promise to be many more such weeks to come. The Fed raised interest rates again and intends to keep raising rates at future meetings. The average one-year CD yield increased from 2.19 percent to 2.23 percent this week, and has more than doubled from 1.1 percent in March 2004. The same is true of the six-month CD, which stood at 0.93 percent last March and now stands at 1.87 percent, climbing from 1.84 percent last week. The five-year CD yield continues to languish however, remaining unchanged at 3.59 percent this week. Yields on the three-year through five-year maturities are awaiting a rebound in intermediate and long-term Treasury yields, which appear unreasonably low considering the rate of economic expansion and the repeated Fed rate hikes.

Credit cards
Rates: 12.93 percent (standard fixed); 13.29 percent (standard variable)
Want a true read on the direction of credit card rates? The platinum variable average has increased from 10.76 percent to 12.26 percent since the Fed began raising rates in June, and climbed from 12.18 percent to 12.26 percent this week. The only actual rate change seen in this week's survey was the repricing of a platinum variable rate card. There is more of that to come. The standard and gold variable averages fell, thanks to changes in the banks surveyed each week. The average rates are now 13.29 percent for the standard variable and 13.61 percent for the gold variable. The standard fixed average fell two basis points to 12.93 percent with the removal of one card from the survey. No changes were seen in gold and platinum fixed cards.