91.   A lower debt rating would likely have forced the bank to pay investors higher rates on subsequent offerings of bonds backed by credit-card payments.

92.   A reduction in the top rate on capital gains.

93.   A persistently below-market repo rate on the securities caught the attention of the Federal Reserve late last month.

94.   A steeper curve also makes rates on adjustable-rate mortgages more attractive relative to fixed-rate loans.

95.   According to HSH, the average rate on a fixed mortgage is more than two percentage points higher than a year ago.

96.   Aggregation allows banks to guide customers toward the best rates on their savings.

97.   Already, phone companies are negotiating reduced call-completion rates on their own.

98.   All the hotels have special rates on weekends, when business traffic falls off.

99.   All they do is pass a huge federal tax break along to members in the form of lower rates on loans and higher rates on deposits.

100.   Broadcast companies base their advertising rates on the influential ratings system.