Credit Cards

• 13.36% (all fixed)
• 14.39% (all variable)

Here's a look at the state of credit card rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Jan. 5, 2011.

The average APR on fixed-rate credit card offers jumped 32 basis points since the last weekly survey to 13.36 percent. The average variable rate for purchases remained at 14.39 percent for the third consecutive week.

Jan. 1, 2011, triggered the effective date of new risk-based pricing rules that require credit card issuers and other lenders to inform consumers when they've been granted credit on worse terms than other consumers based on their credit report or score. As an alternative to providing a risk-based pricing notice to affected consumers, creditors may give every borrower a credit score disclosure notice, which will display the individual's credit score with contextual information.

In response to the regulations, FICO, the company that created the FICO credit score used by most lenders, launched an educational website that explains the risk-based pricing rules and also reviews the basics on how a FICO score is determined.

Bankrate.com makes it easier to find cash-back credit cards and low-rate cards. You can search by issuer, card type or credit score.