Bankrate: CD Yields Continue Prolonged Decline.

Yields on certificates of deposit continue a headlong decline in the aftermath of the latest interest rate cut by the Federal Open Market Committee. Despite increasing yields on short-term Treasuries in the days following the Fed announcement, the same has not applied to yields on certificates of deposit, leaving investors in search of decent returns.

          Deposit averages from Bankrate.com's national CD survey            Money market account: 0.57%, down from 0.61% last week             6-month CD yield: 0.93%, down from 0.97% last week             1-year CD yield: 1.05%, down from 1.09% last week           5-year CD yield: 2.45%, down from 2.49% from last week   

But investors willing to shop nationwide for their FDIC-insured money market accounts and certificates of deposit will earn yields that far outpace the national average -- and keep pace with the rate of inflation. This week, Bankrate.com found nine institutions paying at least 2 percent APY on money market accounts. On one-year CDs, Bankrate.com found five institutions paying at least 1 percent more than the national average of 1.05 percent. All yields are available nationally to customers who do not have an existing relationship with the institution.

Bankrate.com conducts two surveys each week for money market accounts and CDs:

    * The 100 Highest Yields survey is conducted weekly to find the highest-      yielding CD and money market accounts available to consumers      nationwide.     * Bankrate.com also conducts a weekly national CD survey, which compiles      the rates from the largest banks and thrifts in each of the 10 largest      U.S. markets to arrive at a national average.   

These surveys are supplemented by the Rate Trend Index, a weekly poll of bankers and industry experts on the direction of CD returns in the coming week. This week, half of the panel predicted short-term rates would remain unchanged, but respondents were evenly split on whether longer-term CD yields would rise, fall, or remain unchanged.

To see data from Bankrate's 100 Highest Yields survey, go to http://www.bankrate.com/ and click on "CD/Savings."

To see the complete Bankrate CD Rate Trend Index, go to http://www.bankrate.com/CD-RTI

About Bankrate, Inc. Bankrate, Inc. owns and operates Bankrate.com, the Internet's leading consumer banking marketplace. Bankrate.com averages 4 million unique visitors per month, according to comScore Media Metrix, which ranks Bankrate.com first in unique visitors in the "Financial information and advice" category. Bankrate.com reviews more than 4,800 financial institutions in more than 180 markets in 50 states. Bankrate.com is a destination site of personal finance channels, including banking, investing, taxes and small business finance. It is the leading aggregator of 191 financial products, including mortgages, credit cards, new and used auto loans, money market accounts and CDs, checking and ATM fees, home equity loans and online banking fees. Bankrate.com provides financial applications and information to a network of more than 80 partners including America Online , Yahoo! , The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times . Bankrate.com's information is also distributed through more than 100 national and state publications.

    For more information contact:    Paula Sirois    www.bankrate.com    (561) 630-1249    psirois@bankrate.com  

CONTACT: Paula Sirois, Bankrate, Inc., +1-561-630-1249, or psirois@bankrate.com

Web site: http://www.bankrate.com/