Prime Rate
In North American banking, the prime rate is the interest rate a banks charge to their best or "prime" customers. Each bank will quote a prime lending rate. Many institutions quote prime rates established by large money center commercial banks such as Citibank or Chase Manhattan.
There is also a prime rate average listed in the Wall Street Journal that is an average of the largest commercial banks. The rate given to consumers on their credit cards is often based as the prime rate plus a certain percentage, which represents the lender's assessment of the risk in lending, plus its profit margin.
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