Credit Cards
- 13.71% (all fixed)
- 14.56% (all variable)
The average annual percentage rate, or APR, for variable-rate credit cards jumped 8 basis points to 14.56 percent from 14.48 percent, according to Bankrate's latest survey of interest rates. A basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point. The fixed rate stayed steady at 13.71 percent. It hasn't moved for nine straight weeks.
Two recent reports suggest that consumers are pulling out their credit cards more often this holiday season. Discover said last week that sales volume and the total number of transactions rose in the quarter ending on Nov. 30. Meanwhile, a survey from a retailer trade association in Michigan found that credit card sales climbed 10 percent from Black Friday (Nov. 25) to Dec. 11 compared to sales for the same time last year.