NEW YORK – The average annual interest rates charged on two popular types of credit cards dipped marginally last week, according to Bankrate.com, while overall rates held steady.
The declines followed two weeks of increases.
For balance transfer cards, which allow consumers to consolidate outstanding debt from one or more cards and sometimes include a low introductory rate, the average annual percentage rate edged down to 13.13 percent, from 13.15 percent a week earlier.
The average APR for cash back cards, which feature cash or other reward incentives and generally require a good-to-excellent credit rating for approval, was also slightly lower, 13.83, from 13.86 percent.
For low-interest cards, which have rates below the national average but are often offered only to customers with strong credit histories, the average APR was 11.6 percent, unchanged from the week before.
The average APR charged for all variable-rate cards tracked by Bankrate also held steady, at 10.69 percent.
Bankrate surveys the 10 largest banks and thrifts in the 10 largest markets in the U.S. to determine its averages.