BankShout provides periodic surveys of the best savings rates that are available on a national basis. The following annual percentage yields (APY) are for U.S. national and Internet banks; banks listed are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Yields are current as of Wednesday, May 26, 2010.

Little movement in savings rates this week as student loan-specialist Sallie Mae continues to hold the top spot overall. Sallie Mae’s 1.40% APY online savings has no minimum balance, and the account remains at least 5 basis points above the next highest yield available.

Discover Bank and Capital One Direct Banking both left savings yields static from earlier in May. Good for being tied for second on our BankShout survey, both Discover and Capital One are offering 1.35% APY savings accounts. Discover’s minimum balance is $500, while the deposit requirement for Capital One is $2500 minimum.

A trio of financial institutions are at 1.30% APY for savings accounts, including newdominionDirect.com ($3000 minimum balance), Colorado Federal Savings Bank ($2500 minimum), and American Express Bank, FSB (no minimum). Ally Bank, of Utah, rounds out this week’s poll, with 1.29% APY on both a money market and a savings account; each have no minimum deposit requirement.

Banking industry-watchers had hoped that Sallie Mae’s bold surge into high-yield deposit products might raise rates across the board. But the effect has yet to occur, as banks largely opted to hold savings yields steady for the time being.