AFR Smart Investor, in conjunction with the research group InfoChoice, recently distributed Blue Ribbon Awards to banks offering the best financial products, including credit cards.

Full-featured credit cards are once again popular, as banking customers seek cards that offer rewards and loyalty points in exchange for their business. read more..

Major lenders and banks have begun discussions with the new federal government over the credit card reforms that were such an issue during the recent electoral campaign. read more..

Consumer advocacy group GetUp! has set its sights on a new campaign aimed at recouping moneys lost by consumers.

The organisation and its 375,000 members aim to force banks to decrease penalty fees and even refund fees paid in the past. If banks fail to provide satisfaction, the organisation says members will move their funds and business elsewhere. Penalty fees are fees imposed on cardholders as a result of late payment or over limit charges. read more..

Ezidebit, an Australian provider of outsourced electronic payment solutions, was recently awarded the Australian Business Award for 2010 in the category of financial services, making it the premier third-party debit provider. read more..

For the first time in nine months, spending across the economy has increased, during the month of August.

As reported by the Business Sales Indicator (BSI), sales rose by 0.1 per cent. Although small, this is the first increase since November of 2009. The BSI is a report released by Commonwealth Bank, which tracks debit and credit purchases via the bank’s point of sale terminals. read more..