By Nancy Dillon, Daily News, New York Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Jan. 30--American Express took a swipe at Visa and MasterCard yesterday, announcing its first-ever deal to issue credit cards through a major U.S. bank.
MBNA Corp. will begin offering a new American Express credit card later this year, allowing the traditional charge-card brand to reach a wider audience and force more acceptance by merchants.
The partnership was made possible by a Jan. 9 appeals court decision that said it was illegal for Visa and MasterCard to continue