Last month in Bangalore, I met a senior executive of a private sector bank who is driving its retail business. The bank has received the regulator's nod to open 40-odd new branches, most of them in western and northern India.

UTI bank has the most attractive ads on television promoting there no hassle no late fee credit card; however there are things to be aware of with any credit card, the fine print.

There is a shorter grace period than there used to be, so when the bill comes in it often needs to be paid within a couple of days in order for it not to be counted late. Late fees are added to your account on most credit cards and can range from Rs 1600 - Rs 4000 on average.

While it is nice to not get a late fee, you should still make every effort you would any card to pay it in a timely matter. It is recommended to compare credit card rates to avail best one. The penalties for not paying on time with any late fee cards are costly. If you are late for a couple of times your interest rate could go up to more than 30 percent. In addition this penalty, you also will get a lower credit rating. They will report anyone that is over 30 days late in paying there bill. This can wreck your credit rating. So it is important to make sure that you pay every month on your credit card bills at least the minimum amount that is due.

The Wall Street Exchange Centre LLC Dubai has agreed to a remittance arrangement with India's Axis Bank, which currently has 560 branches throughout India.

Under the terms of the agreement Axis Bank account holders will be entitled to instant credit access to money transferred at Wall Street Exchange branches.

Axis Bank offers you the best compare rates for credit cards so hurry up and find more about you 0%apr credit card.

According to the group managing director of Wall Street Exchange, Abdullah Bin Ghalib, many Indian expats have already begun to benefit from the fast remittance process.

Credit card usage is on the rise and it's hard to know which credit card is right for you. If you follow a few simple guidelines, you can be sure to get the most out of your credit card. Beware of high interest rate cards as they can cost you more than you are willing to pay in the long run. Low interest credit cards are very prevalent and if you do some simple research, they can be a great financial tool.

Axis Bank, erstwhile UTI Bank, is set to establish its presence in all the districts in the next three years while pledging to be a more active partners in the State's development.

Denying AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's remarks some time back that Axis Bank had withdrawn from funding the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP), Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu on Friday sought to allay any fears of funding even in the event of some agency withdrawing from it.

MetLife India Insurance is likely to infuse around Rs 120 crore of fresh capital to fund the company's expansion plans. The decision will be taken at next week's board meet.

Axis Bank has decided to set up a wholly owned subsidiary to enter the asset management business and will soon approach the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the necessary regulatory approvals.

Axis Bank, the erstwhile UTI Bank, is now looking at foraying into retail banking operations internationally. To start with, the bank will offer wealth management for overseas Indians.

This would be the second case for a private sector bank looking at retail operations overseas after ICICI Bank.

Currently, players such as ICICI Bank have full-fledged retail operations in the UK and Canada. Axis Bank has

operations in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. It also has a representative office in Shanghai. It offers corporate and trade finance and capital market operations through its overseas branches. The bank will offer a wider range of retail banking activities when it grows its overseas franchise and gets the regulatory approval. The private sector bank has signed an agreement with Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild Europe to provide wealth management solutions to overseas Indians.

Competition is always a boon for consumers. After housing sector witnessed a huge fall in interest rates due to steep competition among banks, the credit card segment is witnessing a similar fall in rates now.

Card issuing banks are offering differential rates for different customers. For good customers, who pay dues in time, some banks are charging lower interest rates compared to other cardholders.

This preferential rate is reviewed every 90 days and can change, depending on changes in the usage pattern.

Others like HDFC Bank, Andhra Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UTI Bank, American Express Bank and ABN Amro Bank also offer various differential rates.

The party is over. Banks once chased you with cheap home loans, free credit card offers, zero ATM fees, free cheque leaves, and zero-balance accounts. They are now yanking off the welcome mats. If higher home loan interest rates are already beginning to bite, the hike in service charges is bound to sting.

Private banks are taking the lead by raising all kinds of charges. Can't maintain an average quarterly balance (AQB) of Rs5,000?

UTI Bank will deduct Rs350 for every returned cheque after May 1, and as much as Rs750 if you make it a habit. After three returned cheques, you pay Rs750 from the fourth onwards. So make sure you don't get your dates or figures wrong on the cheque. UTI's charges for non-maintenance of average quarterly balances are similar to ICICI Bank's.

Complimentary Return Flight Vouchers

Apply for a UTI Bank Gold Plus Credit Card and claim a complimentary return flight voucher (to and fro journey). The voucher can be used to indicate three choices of destinations from a list 29 destinations within India. You can also avail the facility to purchase additional air tickets for a companion at a substantially discounted rate of Rs 5,000 for return flight. Offer valid on add on cards also. Plan your trip now.

This offer is valid for all customers who have paid their joining and annual fees in full and have activated their credit card through a purchase or made a cash withdrawal.

50% Guaranteed Discounts on Hotels

The UTI Bank Gold Plus Credit Card entitles you to an IBTC Silver Mini membership at no extra cost. Enjoy a guaranteed 50% discount at over 1,500 hotels worldwide that includes 120 hotels in India plus a 20% discount on Hertz Car rentals.

Petrol Surcharge Waiver

Gold Plus Credit Card holders get a fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol stations in India. The waiver is valid for a minimum transaction amount of Rs 200 and a maximum of Rs 2,500.

Reliance Infocomm has come out with a solution that will help banks expand credit and debit card usage to over 1,100 cities and towns from the existing 40 cities.

The Reliance IndiaMobile (RIM) handset, facilitates swiping of credit cards at the customer's doorstep, instead of being restricted to shops or hotels, Mr Kishore Oka of Reliance Infocomm says. "We are in an advanced stage of talks with various banks and leading stores in this region and the facility would be made available soon".

The swiping of the plastic cards could be done anywhere at any time across Reliance Infocomm's network which is being expanded to 5,000 towns and cities.

HDFC Bank, Citi Bank, ICICI Bank, Bank of Punjab and Venture Infotek - the sourcing agency for IDBI Bank and UTI Bank - have already implemented the 'POS' (point of sales) solution and some more banks are in the final stages of testing it.

Competition is always a boon for consumers. After housing sector witnessed a huge fall in interest rates due to steep competition among banks, the credit card segment is witnessing a similar fall in rates now.

Card issuing banks are offering differential rates for different customers. For good customers, who pay dues in time, some banks are charging lower interest rates compared to other cardholders.

This preferential rate is reviewed every 90 days and can change, depending on changes in the usage pattern.

Others like HDFC Bank, Andhra Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UTI Bank, American Express Bank and ABN Amro Bank also offer various differential rates.

The party is over. Banks once chased you with cheap home loans, free credit card offers, zero ATM fees, free cheque leaves, and zero-balance accounts. They are now yanking off the welcome mats. If higher home loan interest rates are already beginning to bite, the hike in service charges is bound to sting.

Private banks are taking the lead by raising all kinds of charges. Can't maintain an average quarterly balance (AQB) of Rs5,000?

UTI Bank will deduct Rs350 for every returned cheque after May 1, and as much as Rs750 if you make it a habit. After three returned cheques, you pay Rs750 from the fourth onwards. So make sure you don't get your dates or figures wrong on the cheque. UTI's charges for non-maintenance of average quarterly balances are similar to ICICI Bank's.

Reliance Infocomm has come out with a solution that will help banks expand credit and debit card usage to over 1,100 cities and towns from the existing 40 cities.

The Reliance IndiaMobile (RIM) handset, facilitates swiping of credit cards at the customer's doorstep, instead of being restricted to shops or hotels, Mr Kishore Oka of Reliance Infocomm says. "We are in an advanced stage of talks with various banks and leading stores in this region and the facility would be made available soon".

The swiping of the plastic cards could be done anywhere at any time across Reliance Infocomm's network which is being expanded to 5,000 towns and cities.

HDFC Bank, Citi Bank, ICICI Bank, Bank of Punjab and Venture Infotek - the sourcing agency for IDBI Bank and UTI Bank - have already implemented the 'POS' (point of sales) solution and some more banks are in the final stages of testing it.