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LONDON (AP) — A British financial trader, who has been described as the ringleader in the manipulation of a key interest rate before and after the global financial crisis, lost his appeal Wednesday to have his conviction quashed. At a three-day hearing in London earlier this month, the men’s lawyers argued that their convictions were “unsafe” and should be quashed. An appeal to the Supreme Court has to be made within 14 days. The scandal emerged in 2012 when some banks were accused of submitting fake numbers on purpose to have the LIBOR set at a rate that better suited them. LIBOR has been phased out in recent years, partly because it was seen by many as worsening the 2008 financial crisis.

Persons: —, Tom Hayes, Hayes, Carlo Palombo, Palombo, dishonestly, “, LIBOR Organizations: Citigroup, Switzerland's UBS, London Inter, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, of Justice, Supreme, U.S Locations: British, U.S, London, France, Germany

☆ UK Libor trader Hayes loses appeal against rate-rigging conviction
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Thomas Hayes, a former trader at banks including UBS Group AG and Citigroup, on Aug 3, 2015. Tom Hayes, the first trader jailed worldwide for interest rate rigging, lost his appeal against his conviction in a London court on Wednesday. Hayes, a former star Citigroup and UBS trader, was convicted in 2015 of conspiracy to defraud by manipulating Libor, a benchmark rate once used to price trillions of financial products globally. His appeal against his conviction was heard alongside that of Carlo Palombo, a former Barclays trader convicted in 2019 of skewing Libor's euro equivalent, Euribor. Hayes and Palombo were given 14 days to apply for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Persons: Thomas Hayes, Tom Hayes, Hayes, Libor, Carlo Palombo, Palombo's, David Bean, Palombo Organizations: UBS Group AG, Citigroup, UBS, Prosecutors, London, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Supreme Locations: London, U.S

LONDON (AP) — An American scientist has sparked a trans-Atlantic tempest in a teapot by offering Britain advice on its favorite hot beverage. Bryn Mawr College chemistry professor Michelle Francl says one of the keys to a perfect cup of tea is a pinch of salt. The tip is included in Francl’s book “Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea,” published Wednesday by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Not since the Boston Tea Party has mixing tea with salt water roiled the Anglo-American relationship so much. On the Chemistry World site, Francl said writing the book had “enhanced my enjoyment of a cup of tea” but noted “there were several disquieting discoveries along the way."

Persons: Michelle Francl, ”, boors, Debrett’s, “, Francl, – Organizations: Bryn Mawr College, Royal Society of Chemistry, Boston Tea Party, Twitter, Embassy Locations: An American, Britain, London, States, U.S

☆ Bank of America shares fall after company reports lower fourth-quarter profit, hit by regulatory charge
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bank of America shares fell 1.1% Friday after the firm reported declining fourth-quarter earnings amid hefty one-time charges. Here's what the company reported compared to Wall Street expectations, according to LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv:Earnings per share: 70 cents, adjusted vs. 68 cents expected. 70 cents, adjusted vs. 68 cents expected. Revenue: $22.1 billion vs. $23.74 billion expected. Bank of America stock is down 2.6% this year after a mere 1.7% gain in 2023.

Persons: Brian Moynihan Organizations: of America, Revenue, Bank of America, London, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, CNBC PRO Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina

☆ Exonerated Deutsche Bank trader can pursue $150 mln lawsuit -US judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Deutsche Bank AG FollowNEW YORK, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A former Deutsche Bank trader whose conviction in New York for rigging a key interest rate benchmark was overturned can pursue a $150 million lawsuit accusing the German lender of malicious prosecution for making him a scapegoat. Deutsche Bank has until Nov. 14 to formally address claims in Connolly's lawsuit. Libor probes led to about $9 billion of fines worldwide for banks, including $2.5 billion for Deutsche Bank in 2015. Black is also suing Deutsche Bank for malicious prosecution, seeking $30 million in a lawsuit filed in a New York state court in Manhattan. Black's case is Black v Deutsche Bank AG et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No.

Persons: Jesse Furman, Matthew Connolly's, Connolly, Gavin Black, London interbank, Jonathan Stempel, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Deutsche Bank, Deutsche, London, Deutsche Bank AG, Court, Southern District of, New York, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Manhattan, Connolly's, London, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New, Court , New York County

☆ This couple bought a rundown farmhouse in Portugal. Here’s what happened next
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Adventurous projectAlan Andrew and Vincent Proost purchased a rundown Portuguese farmhouse in 2019. have a completely new life in Portugal, and say they couldn't be happier. Although they describe Casa Baio as a “modern farmhouse,” they say they’ve tried to incorporate as many traditional local materials, including handmade terracotta tiles, along with floor tiles made from local marble, as possible. Andrew and Proost say they try to use regenerative organic practices on the farm, which is certified organic. Andrew and Proost say they’ve definitely noticed an increase in the amount of people from the US relocating to Portugal, particularly in Alentejo.

Persons: CNN —, Alan Andrew, Vincent Proost, ” Andrew, ”, Andrew, Figueira e Barros, “, “ It’s, Casa, Duarte Bivar, they’ve, Proost, who’s, It’s, ” They’re, – Andrew, who’ve, Antonio Costa, they’re, he’s, “ We’re, I’m, I’ve, … Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Baio, London International Olive Oil, Portugal –, Casa Baio, –, “, EU Locations: Pennsylvania, Belgian, Portugal, Alentejo, London, Europe, Italy, Lisbon, Savanna, Tuscany, ”, Figueira, Belgium, That’s, Estremoz, “, California, Porto

☆ China opposes UK's 'discriminatory actions' against China-linked deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING/LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - China firmly opposes what it called the British government's "discriminatory actions" against Chinese firms, the country's embassy in the UK said after London intervened in Chinese-linked takeovers eight times in the last year. The British government said in a report that it had blocked or imposed conditions on eight transactions involving China-linked investment in domestic companies under its National Security and Investment Act in the last year. "We strongly urge the British side to stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese enterprises and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for them," the Chinese embassy in London said on Wednesday. In November Britain ordered Chinese-owned technology company Nexperia to sell at least 86% of Britain's biggest microchip factory, Newport Wafer Fab, following a national security assessment under the law. Britain is attempting something of a reset of relations with China, working together on areas of agreement while balancing national security concerns.

Persons: Ella Cao, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, Alistair Smout, Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton Organizations: London, National Security and Investment, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, LONDON, China, London, Britain, Newport, Beijing

☆ How to Turn Your Outdoor Dining Area Into a Magical, Peaceful Spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Elizabeth Quinn Brown | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

ORDER UP On a leafy London terrace, designer Rebecca James created a neatly balanced tableau. Photo: Richard GoodingWHEN YOU think about Marie Kondo-ing part of your home, it’s unlikely you envision your outdoor space as the would-be masterpiece of tidiness. But this terrace, which London interior designer Rebecca James was hired to transform, cried out for order. Step one: Organizing the dining area around a brazen focal point—a globed light fixture so large she freaked a little when she opened its box. She also imposed symmetry and restraint, limiting materials and patterns, a strategy that belies the magical atmosphere.

Persons: Rebecca James, Richard Gooding, Marie Kondo, ”, James Locations: London, Moroccan

☆ Curb use of dollar Libor alternatives to Fed rate, says watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - The use of four dollar-denominated alternatives to the now scrapped Libor interest rate need restrictions to avoid threatening financial stability, a global securities watchdog said on Monday. The final dollar-denominated London Interbank Offered Rate or Libor was published last Friday. Several so-called credit sensitive rates (CSRs) and term SOFR rates are being offered as alternatives to SOFR, which has no forward 'terms' or credit component, though volume in them has been low. SOFR term rates also fell short of IOSCO standards given they rely on the continued existence of a deep and liquid derivatives market, IOSCO said. "Administrators should consider licensing restrictions for use of CSRs and Term SOFR rates within certain products or by certain user groups," IOSCO said.

Persons: Libor, IOSCO, Huw Jones, Conor Humphries Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, London, Federal Reserve, Regulators, Thomson

☆ The End of LIBOR Is (Finally) Here
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Joe Rennison | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The arduous, decade-long process to end the financial system’s reliance on a tarnished interest-rate benchmark, which once underpinned trillions of dollars in contracts across the globe, is almost over. From next week, the rate, known as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR for short, will cease to be published. LIBOR is a collective term for dozens of rates, denominated in different currencies, intended to reflect how much it costs banks to borrow from one another. In the end, roughly $10 billion in fines were meted out across the financial industry over accusations of LIBOR rigging, which led to efforts to move away from the tainted benchmark. “There are still issues, but it’s remarkable that LIBOR will go out with more of a whimper than a bang.

Persons: LIBOR, ”, Mark Cabana Organizations: London, Barclays, Bank of America Locations: LIBOR, British

While there has been some scrambling to amend contracts linked to Libor over the past month, the transition was well telegraphed and no major issues are expected, loan and derivatives market participants and lawyers said in interviews. "I feel like it has been two to three years now that we have been re-papering all the legacy loans and legacy securities we purchased tied to Libor," said Scott DiMaggio, co-head of fixed income, at Alliance Bernstein. Friday at 11:55 a.m. British Summer Time (1055 GMT) marked the last publication for the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month U.S.-dollar Libor interest rates. Other U.S. dollar tenors were largely phased out for new contracts at the end of 2021 along with Libor rates linked to other currencies. Derivatives markets based on Libor had already mostly moved to new benchmarks without major disruption, while some corners of the loan markets, such as syndicated loans, have been busy with contract amendments, market participants said.

Persons: Scott DiMaggio, Alliance Bernstein, Shah, Federal Reserve Bank of New York's, Libor, Tal Reback, Gennadiy Goldberg, John McCrank, Gertrude Chavez, Dreyfus, Alden Bentley, Stephen Coates Organizations: YORK, Alliance, Regulators, Federal Reserve Bank of New, U.S, Britain's, Authority, Libor, TD Securities, Thomson Locations: London, Iran, U.S, New York

☆ UK regulator makes 'final call' to switch off Libor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) reflected the cost of lending between banks, using quotes from panels of banks in 35 variants across five currencies. "This is the last remaining Libor panel and its end marks another critical milestone in the transition away from LIBOR," the FCA said in its "final messages" on the rate. "Firms must continue to actively transition contracts that reference Libor to appropriate, robust reference rates, and we continue to expect firms to deliver demonstrable progress," the FCA said. Market participants were given permission to continue using dollar Libor in new contracts on a limited basis, but the FCA said on Wednesday this would end on July 1. The 1, 3 and 6-month dollar Libor rates only will be published in a "synthetic form" for legacy contracts from July 3 to end-September 2024.

Persons: DTCC, Huw Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: Authority, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: LIBOR

☆ Analysis: As sun sets on LIBOR, its successor rate may heighten bank risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The transition to the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (SOFR) has been well-telegraphed for years and U.S. banks are mostly prepared for the new rate regime. Typically in a crisis, the cost of bank funding rises: rates on commercial paper and bond issuance increase as investors demand a premium to buy bank debt. This was highlighted by the New York Fed in a study released in December 2022 and updated last February. Bank funding costs have increased with the surge in interest rates since the Fed began tightening last year. "The transition has largely taken place and the rates on SOFR have risen in tandem with policy rate increases."

☆ The SEC just paid out nearly $279 million to a tipster in its largest-ever award. Here's an inside look at the crazy world of whistleblower lawsuits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The regulator announced a nearly $279 million award to a whistleblower on May 5, more than double the previous record of $114 million awarded in October 2020. When whistleblower information leads to settlements, tipsters can earn between 10 and 30 percent of the financial penalties paid by wrongdoers. When whistleblower information leads to settlements, the tipsters can earn a percentage of the financial penalties paid by wrongdoers. The tipster's law firm, Kirby McInerney, worked with state authorities on the investigation after "Tooley's" lawsuit was filed. This means tax-fraud whistleblowers will increasingly look for ways to bring their tips to New York law enforcement to be more involved in the investigation process.

☆ Analysis: Clock ticking for loan market as Libor nears its end
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationNEW YORK, Feb 16 (Reuters) - It's crunch time for the corporate loan market. "The shot clock is on," said Tal Reback, who leads KKR's global Libor transition efforts. The Libor transition began in 2017 and had been smooth until 2022, when rising interest rates, decades-high inflation, Russia's war on Ukraine and recessionary fears rocked markets. "The new issue market shut down," said Ian Walker, head of legal innovation at financial information provider Covenant Review. Libor was phased out for new contracts at the end of 2021, though most existing U.S. dollar-denominated contracts have until June 30 to switch.

☆ Exonerated Deutsche Bank trader accuses bank of 'malicious prosecution'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gavin Black, who worked on the bank's money market and derivatives desk in London, said Deutsche Bank and others conspired to commit "malicious prosecution and abuse of process," leading to his unjustified conviction. Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The legal action came two months after Matthew Connolly, who lead Deutsche Bank's pool trading desk in New York, filed a $150 million lawsuit also accusing the bank of malicious prosecution. Deutsche Bank asked a judge on Jan. 13 to dismiss Connolly's case. Investigations worldwide into Libor manipulation resulted in about $9 billion of fines for banks, including $2.5 billion for Deutsche Bank in 2015.

☆ Companies, Lenders Clash Over Loan Spreads in Switch From Libor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

As part of the shift, companies typically propose changes to their loan agreements with lenders, adjusting for the price difference between SOFR and Libor. The adjustment of the credit spread adds basis points to the interest rate on a loan to make up for the fact that SOFR has traded lower than Libor. The difference between SOFR and Libor can be as much as 25 basis points for loans with maturities of five to seven years. There will likely be more disagreements over credit spread adjustments as companies stop using Libor prior to its end. “There’s no reason to burn bridges over a few basis points,” Mr. Kerschner said.

☆ Justice Department Faces Accusations It Outsourced a Corporate Investigation in Bribery Case
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

PREVIEWThe case against Messrs. Coburn and Schwartz was presented as a model for the Justice Department’s approach to corporate crime when it was announced in 2019. The department’s investigation into Messrs. Coburn and Schwartz was prompted by one such tipoff. The Deutsche Bank ruling was heavily cited in the motions filed by Messrs. Coburn and Schwartz. Since Messrs. Coburn and Schwartz launched their legal challenge, the Justice Department has doubled down on its bid to recruit companies as corporate crime watchdogs. The judge earlier in December heard oral arguments by both sides related to the executives’ motions.

Deutsche Bank's scapegoating ruined the reputation and career of Connolly, a married father of two, and caused the "destruction of his life," the complaint said. Investigations worldwide into Libor manipulation resulted in about $9 billion of fines for banks, including $2.5 billion for Deutsche Bank in 2015. Connolly sued Deutsche Bank four weeks after a New York judge tossed a Libor-rigging indictment against former UBS (UBSG.S) and Citigroup (C.N) trader Tom Hayes and another trader. Hayes had already served more than five years in prison in Britain for rigging Libor. The case is Connolly v. Deutsche Bank AG, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

☆ Businesses Rush to Sidestep Rate Shock by Paying Down Debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Kristin Broughton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Executives are aggressively paying down debt as higher interest rates increase the cost associated with having debt and businesses face the prospect of a recession. As a result, some are taking steps to rein in expenses and cut interest costs, while others are looking to put cash reserves to work as their bank deposits continue to generate minimal yields. Beauty paid an annual interest rate of 4.9% on the loan, according to Mandy Fields, the company’s chief financial officer. About two-thirds of the loan carried a 5% interest rate that was fixed through a swap, which was set to expire in 2025. The two transactions reduced KAR’s annual interest costs by $70 million, to an estimated $15 million a year, Mr. Loughmiller said.

☆ U.S. throws out Libor-rigging charges against Hayes
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: Tom Hayes, the first former trader convicted by a jury of manipulating Libor benchmark interest rates, poses for a picture, after being released from HM Prison Ford, in Arundel, Britain January 29, 2021. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleLONDON (Reuters) - A New York judge has dismissed criminal charges against Tom Hayes, the British trader who became the face of the global Libor interest rate scandal. Hayes was released from prison in Britain in January 2021 after serving half an 11-year sentence. Hayes’ legal team is considering further legal options to clear his name, a representative for Hayes said in a statement. “The U.S. Department of Justice has seen fit to dismiss charges based on the same facts, evidence and case in law that the UK courts used to justify my 11-year prison sentence,” Hayes said.

☆ Libor demise and Brexit reshape derivatives market, says BIS
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The most significant factor contributing to the decline in turnover is the continuing shift away from Libor for major currencies," the BIS said in its latest triennial snapshot of the global OTC interest rate derivatives market. Banks and their clients use interest rate swaps to insure themselves against unexpected moves in borrowing costs. Replacing Libor shrank turnover in forward rate agreements or FRAs, a type of derivatives contract, with turnover in dollar FRAs tumbling by 98%. BIS OTC Derivatives Graphic 1Sales desks in Britain recorded the highest turnover of interest rate derivatives, at $2.6 trillion, or 46% of global 'net-gross' turnover, down from 51% in 2019. BIS OTC Derivatives Graphic 2Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Junk-Rated Companies Search for the Right Time to Tap Investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

While there is limited pressure overall as many businesses refinanced in 2020 and 2021 when funding was cheaper and investor appetite stronger, high-yield companies with immediate financing needs have to find the right time to tap investors, corporate bankers say. Adding loans and revolving-credit facilities, speculative companies have maturities of around $1.47 trillion through 2027, ratings firm Moody’s Investors Service said last week. And the high-yield bond market isn’t closed, it has just become more expensive, bankers said. Movie theater chain AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. on Friday said that its subsidiary Odeon Finco PLC priced a $400 million bond. Bankers said they have received few calls from triple C-rated companies in recent months looking for maturity extensions.

☆ Real-Estate Companies Grapple With High Interest Rate Hedging Costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Banks and other lenders often require real-estate firms relying on floating rate debt to hedge their exposure with so-called interest-rate caps. Real-estate companies are struggling with cost increases for labor and building materials as well as slowing demand. The company since March recorded a significant increase in derivatives costs, Mr. Barnes-Smith said, but declined to provide specifics. The company held about $643.8 million in variable rate debt as of June 30, or a little over half of its total debt, Mr. Barnes-Smith said. “These hedging cost issues make something that’s already expensive even more expensive for companies,” Mr. Dhargalkar said.

☆ FASB Extends Accounting Relief as Companies Switch From Libor
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The Financial Accounting Standards Board allowed companies to continue ignoring certain rules around modifying loan contracts and accounting for hedges of interest-rate risks as they move away from the London interbank offered rate. Libor and other benchmarks underpin trillions of dollars of financial contracts, including corporate loans, mortgages and interest-rate derivatives. PREVIEWThe FASB initially gave companies relief in March 2020, in an effort to help them work through the large volumes of financial contracts they needed to update or renegotiate as part of their preparations to abandon Libor. U.S. banks stopped issuing new financial contracts using Libor at the end of last year. Companies are considering which version of SOFR to switch to from Libor.

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