More people, more workers, higher incomes, more spending. Banks eager to lend at high rates and collect swipe fees.

Delinquency rates for credit cards 30 days or more past due declined for the second quarter in a row, to 3.08% of total credit-card balances at all commercial banks at the end of Q4, seasonally adjusted, according to Federal Reserve data on yesterday. This includes credit cards issued to prime and subprime-rates borrowers.