BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Oil prices rose back above US$83 a barrel in Asian trade Friday, adding to gains in the previous session sparked by a decline in crude inventories at a key Oklahoma terminal and the confrontation between the West and Iran.

Light, sweet crude for November delivery rose 29 cents to US$83.17 a barrel in Asian electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midafternoon in Singapore.

The Nymex crude contract jumped US$2.58 Thursday to settle at US$82.88 a barrel during the floor session.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have raised in traders' minds the possibility of disruption of Middle East oil supplies, analysts said.

The U.S. is trying to raise support for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programs. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the nuclear issue is "closed," and has vowed to defy any U.N. sanctions.

The price gains have put the front-month contract back near the record levels hit late last week by the October contract on the day it expired. Last Friday the October contract hit US$83.90 a barrel before it settled at a record close of U$83.32 a barrel.

Also stoking concerns about crude supplies was a slight decline in oil inventories at the Nymex crude delivery point of Cushing, Oklahoma, last

Would you like to know what 36,298 credit card users had to say about the 61,944 cards they've used recently? Would you like to know which ones they like the most? Well, the Consumer Reports National Research Center has some answers for you, along with some guidance.

Who's on first?
According to a study by the center, the top-ranked credit card is the USAA Federal Savings card, which scored 95 points out of 100 in the center's survey and charges a median interest rate of 7%. The bad news is that this card is only for military and retired military people, and their families. Next up is the Navy Federal Credit Union card. Yes, I know -- that's another case of bad news, unless you happen to be in the Navy.

If you happen to be in the military, be sure to look into USAA's offerings. The organization frequently garners high ratings for its wares. But if you're not among the ranks of the military, you needn't rush out to your local recruitment office to snag a great credit-card deal. In fact, the third-highest rating in the study was for plain old "other credit union" cards. In other words, you're likely to get a good deal from most credit unions -- and you may well be eligible to join one in your neighborhood.

Other noteworthy rankings popped up for sporting-equipment retailer Cabela's (NYSE: CAB - News) and

Car loans

Your selection of a car is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make, after the choice of a house. It is very difficult to come out ahead with your car, since it constantly loses value.

Credit Cards

Americans are notoriously deep in debt—and not just for their home and car. The average adult carries a balance of thousands of dollars on any number of retail and bank credit cards. Personal loans—including home equity, debt consolidation, and student loans—also contribute to this debt load. What is
important about this, is that all of these sources of debt contribute to the draining of a family's budget.

TOKYO (AP) -- Asian stocks soared Wednesday in the wake of Wall Street's overnight surge spurred by the U.S. Federal Reserve's larger-than-expected interest rate cut.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index jumped 500.22 points, or 3.17 percent, to 16,302.02 points in afternoon trading. In Hong Kong, the blue chip Hang Seng Index was up 928.45 points, or 3.78 percent, to 25,505.3.

Stock markets in South Korea, India, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines also advanced. Chinese shares, however, fell.

Investors were cheered by a rally in U.S. stocks Tuesday after the Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by a half percentage point to 4.75 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average surged 335.97 points, or 2.51 percent, to 13,739.39 -- its biggest one-day point jump in nearly five years.

The move came after weeks of global market turmoil amid concerns over tightening credit conditions sparked by rising default rates among U.S. mortgage holders with poor credit. The U.S. rate cut signals that the Fed wants to prevent a slump in the U.S. housing market and turbulence in financial markets from starting a recession.

Asian investors have been worried that the credit crisis might drag on growth in the U.S. economy, a

SINGAPORE (AP) -- Oil prices rose Wednesday above the previous session's record close, lifted by expectations the interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve will accelerate growth and increase demand for already tight crude and gasoline supplies.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery added 82 cents to $82.33 a barrel in Asian electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midmorning in Singapore.

The Fed cut its benchmark federal funds rate overnight by half a percentage point to 4.75 percent in an effort to prevent the recent credit crunch from hurting the overall economy, a move that led to a surge in crude oil prices in the moments immediately after the announcement.

"The oil market has taken confidence from the cut in the federal funds rate," said David Moore, commodity strategist with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney.

"There had been concerns that U.S. economic growth may slow and the U.S. is the largest oil consumer, so it would potentially impact on oil demand," Moore said. "The Fed's rate cut has at least reduced the risks of a severe slowing in the U.S. economy," he said.

Nymex crude settled Tuesday at a fresh record close of $81.51 a barrel, up 94 cents. It later hit an all-time high of $82.38 a barrel in after-hours trading. Analysts note, though, that oil prices are still well

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a bold strike, the Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate by a half point on Tuesday -- the first cut in over four years -- and left the door open to further relief to prevent a painful housing slump and jarring credit crunch from driving the country into recession.

Wall Street responded enthusiastically, propelling stocks up 335.97 points -- its biggest one-day point jump in nearly five years. Politicians, shaken by record-high home foreclosures, also welcomed the move.

In a crucial and anxiously awaited decision, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his central bank colleagues lowered an important interest rate to 4.75 percent. Economic and political pressure has been building on the Fed to act.

As a result, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and other commercial banks dropped their prime lending rate charged to millions of borrowers by a corresponding amount to 7.75 percent.

Whether Bernanke can handle the crisis successfully is the biggest challenge he has faced in his 19 months at the Fed helm.

"Today's action is intended to help forestall some adverse effects on the economy that might otherwise arise from disruptions in financial markets and to promote moderate growth over time," the Fed said in a statement released after its closed-door meeting.

The Fed's action means borrowers who can obtain credit should see rates drop on a variety of loans. It will become less expensive for people to finance certain credit card debt and for homeowners to take out

Rebates are a double-edged sword. They look wonderful when you see the price of the item you're buying with the rebate price included, but they can end up costing you money if you don't follow through and actually receive the rebate.

It's only a great price if you actually get the rebate amount refunded to you. If it is a large purchase, such as a computer system, this can be the difference between several hundred dollars in your bank account or down the drain.

According to BusinessWeek, almost a third of all computers and gadgets now are sold with some type of rebate attached, with one-fifth of all digital cameras, camcorders and LCD TVs having some type of rebate. Not all consumers take advantage of these rebates. In 2005, an estimated 40% were never redeemed for a variety of reasons, and this added an extra $2 billion to the retailers' and manufacturers' bottom line.

While the process for getting a rebate may seem pretty straightforward, it doesn't always work that way. The Federal Trade Commission set up a study about rebate programs in April, in part because "many consumers have had negative experiences with rebates and have begun to distrust them." There was even a recent instance where a computer parts supplier in California simply dumped 1,300 rebate