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Suggests that it is not too late to refinance a mortgage, even if a person missed the very low rates, as of November 1998. The question of whether it makes sense to refinance; The benefit of short-term mortgages; The change in the cost of several products, including electricity and condominiums; Why most refinancers will choose a no-points loan.

Discusses the drop in interest rates in the United States as of October 1998. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage, according to Freddie Mac; Reactions from analysts; The possibility that automobile loans could drop even further.

The article reports on Dutch Education, Culture and Science Minister Jet Bussemaker's proposed ban on a type of financial derivative used by universities after a report found that it could expose the sector to risk. It describes Dutch universities' use of derivatives as insurance against interest rate fluctuations on the money they have borrowed or plan to borrow. The purchase of open position derivatives by several universities on loans they expect to make is also cited.

Reports on short-term cash advance loans in Australia. 'Choice' magazine's investigation into the lenders; Cost of a two-week loan; Service at the store; Argument that credit laws should be extended to cover payday lending.

Announces that a study by the College Board found that students who had taken coaching classes boosted their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores by an average of just 26 points, far less than the 100 or more points the test-preparation sellers advertise. Details about the study; Criticism of Andrew Rosen, chief operating officer of Kaplan Educational Centers; Loan rates in the United States.

Highlights United States banks that offer senior privileges. Westamerica Bank; Beneficial Savings Bank; Guaranty Federal Bank; Compass Bank; Loan rates in the US; Lender; Rate; Contact information.

Reports on check-clearing procedures and fees levied on personal accounts by United States banks. Class-action lawsuit against Wells Fargo Bank alleging systematic creation of the largest possible number of overdrafts in customers' accounts; Advice on avoiding bounced checks and high fees; Charts showing the best deals in low-interest and no-fee credit cards.

Presents information on finding a low-cost loan through rate surveying Internet sites. Author's preference for the RateNet site; RateNet offering the best ten rates in a particular area; Bank Rate Monitor's performance; Other services including BanxQuote; Charts of the best deals in credit cards, loan rates around the United States and national averages for loans.

Presents pointers for small hospitals to land high ratings as they tap capital markets. Criteria for investment grade rating; Common assumptions on small hospitals. INSET: Making the grade.

Recommends ways for bagging best rates on consumer borrowing, in the wake of rising interest rates on consumer loans in the US. Negotiations on mortgage rates, home-equity loans and auto loans.

Presents charts of the top-yielding certificates of deposit, money-market mutual funds, loan rates in the United States, Best deals in credit cards. Graphs of the national averages.

Looks at the borrowing rates of a Korean bank to other businesses, highlighting women-owned business in the United States.

Provides tips for understanding home loan costs in Australia. The average annual percentage rate; Questions to ask when comparing loans on offer; Costs other than interest associated with home loans.

Focuses on the decision of the United States Education Department to cut interest rate for direct consolidated student loans. Reaction from private lenders; Details on the cut in interest rates; How the agency officials defended the rate from the complaining lenders.

Presents data on commodity prices and lending rates in Asia as of October 19, 1998. Commodity prices in United States dollars; Bank rates and currency movements; Details on wool prices.

Summarizes loan rates in different parts of the United States as of May 1999. Rate and description at lenders in New York, New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, Phoenix, Arizona, and Los Angeles, California; National averages on 30-year mortgages and other loans.

Discusses the rise in mortgage rates that has taken place in the United States in March 1999. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage; The money that could be saved by taking a 15-year loan instead of a 30-year loan; What type of loan to consider if the house will be sold in a few years.

Presents information the lowest loan rates from cities across the United States as of December 11, 1998. Boston, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Saint Louis, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Lenders; Rates; Contact information; National averages for 30-year mortgages, one-year adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) and auto loans.

Presents information for the lowest loan rates available in the United States as of October 14, 1998 on a variety of loans. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tampa, Florida; Omaha, Nebraska; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Diego, California; National averages.

Reveals that the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce raised its five-year mortgage rate by one-quarter of a point in early March 1999. Second increase since December 1998; What analysts attribute this move to; Mortgage fluctuations since April 1998.

Discusses the expected tax cut by the Canadian government in 1999. How economic growth will be pushed down in 1999; Expected cut in key lending rate by the Bank of Canada; The risk of deflation compared to inflation; The annual inflation rate in Canada for November 1998.

Announces that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased the lending rate on its United States dollar loan facility from 6.82 percent to 6.93 percent per annum. Increase in the rate on multi-currency loans per annum; Scheduled dates for the application of the lending rates.

Reports on the high lending rate of Canada. Definition of money; Origin of the debt-money; Credit-debit system; Effects of inflation; Possibility of a deflation.

Presents in tabular form the lending and deposit rates of various currencies.

Presents low loan rates for May 1997 from around the United States. Figures from New York, New York; Phoenix, Arizona; Others; Rate and description; Contact information.

Discusses jumbo loans, or large loans carrying a one-fourth to one-half percentage point increase over smaller conforming loans. The starting point for jumbo loans for 1997; The actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in setting the starting point; United States Congressional heat to minimize annual adjustments to the starting point.

Presents charts depicting low loan rates around the United States as of December 1996. New York; Atlanta; Chicago; Phoenix; Los Angeles; Fixed rate 30 year; One year ARM; Home equity line; Car loan; Lender; Rate/description (Index plus margin); Contact information; Rate benchmarks.

Informs that auto-loan rates will be steady for the latter parts of 1994 according to HSH Associates, a rate-tracking firm.

Examines the economic climate of Canada in the summer of 1997. The decision of Gordon Thiessen, governor of the Bank of Canada, to raise the key lending rate by a quarter of a percentage point; The decline of the dollar; The effect of the rate hike.