Card Briefs: Use of Debit Cards Rises in Western U.S.

Debit card use continues to increase in the West, according to an annual study sponsored by Star System.

The automated teller machine network's survey of more than 4,000 households in nine western states indicated that average monthly ATM and point of sale transactions rose to 16.3 in 1998 from 15.4 in 1997.

The study, done in November, also revealed that POS purchases fueled most of the growth, with consumers using their cards for retail purchases an average of 7.4 times per month in 1998, up from 6.6. The youngest age group in the study-adults 21 to 24-recorded the fastest rate of growth, to 9.5 times per month from 6.7.

The POS average was highest in Arizona, at 9.5, and lowest in Hawaii, at 3.4.

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