MasterCard PayPass for food and beverage

For the second year in a row, payment platform companies used European music festivals as proving grounds for contactless credit card technology. Last year, Isle of Wight Festival organizers encouraged VIP ticketholders to pay for food and drink with wristbands linked to prepaid debit card accounts. This year, the festival issued wristbands to over 10,000 concertgoers.

Bank of America changes in financial tactics

Hold this truth to be self-evident: If in the late ’70s, FM acts Styx, Kansas, and Foreigner decided to form an arena supergroup, complete with a panoply of lasers and dueling keyboardists, they’d have sold out world tours well into Iran-Contra. Try pulling off the same thing today, however, and SKF & Co. would barely fill the auditorium at Staten Island High.

A small increase Mortgage Rate

Mortgage Rates began in higher territory this morning, though some lenders released improved rate sheets in the afternoon.  On average, rates are still slightly worse than yesterday, falling more in line with Tuesday's offerings.  The Best-Execution rates for 30yr Fixed, Conventional loans is still in a state of flux between 3.5% and 3.625%, having only recently moved up that middle ground after several weeks at 3.5%.

Credit card interest rates stand still

The national average annual percentage rate (APR) on new card offers remained at 14.97 percent Wednesday.

None of the cards that CreditCards.com tracks featured offer changes this week. That includes changes to promotional balance transfer offers and short-term promotional APRs.

Interest rates unchanged at 3.5%, says report Reserve Bank of Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that it is leaving interest rates unchanged at 3.5%.

In a statement Governor Glenn Stevens said that growth in the global economy had softened, following a more promising start to the year.