81.   Tighter lending standards by card issuers should also reduce the level of loan losses and delinquent debts, it added.

82.   Today, the Federal Reserve said U.S. card issuers reported losses and lower interest rates for consumers reduced profits from card lending.

83.   To attract students, card issuers offer free concerts, plane tickets, T-shirts, even candy.

84.   With bad credit card loans and personal bankruptcies surging, most other card issuers have pulled back the last two years.

85.   With more competition, card issuers must keep drumming up new business.

86.   With a fixed rate, the card issuer has to set it high enough to protect itself against interest rate surges.

87.   Others call up the card issuer and try to negotiate a better deal.

88.   Utility bills, school fees and rent payments are on the agenda of card issuers.

89.   The report said card issuers send out two billion solicitations by mail a year and have begun to target lower-income households.