EUROPE

Market Infrastructure

EU Benchmark Equivalence Regime Not Scalable: ISDA, FIA

By Manesh Samtani | 07/05/2020

While the Associations welcome the legal approach taken, they highlight that the draft equivalence decision excludes the widely referenced Nikkei and JPX benchmarks.

Market Infrastructure

ECB Seeks Further Guidance from SWIFT on ISO 20022 Delay

By Editors | 06/05/2020

The request follows a March decision by SWIFT’s Board to extend the original timeline for implementation of ISO 20022 for cross-border payments by one year to end-2022.

Market Infrastructure

Industry Bodies Request Margin Exemption Extensions under EMIR

By Manesh Samtani | 06/05/2020

ISDA and other industry associations are asking for equivalence decisions for all jurisdictions that have implemented margin rules in line with the BCBS-IOSCO framework.

Market Infrastructure

FCA Extends Deadline for Lenders to Stop Issuing New LIBOR Loans

By Editors | 30/04/2020

The deadline extension for lenders is a response to Covid-19, as the FCA seeks to avoid disrupting the flow of loans to help companies stay afloat during the pandemic.

Capital / Liquidity

ECB Officials Push for ‘Bad Bank’ to Clean Up NPLs – Report

By Editors | 21/04/2020

ECB officials are concerned that the coronavirus pandemic will trigger a surge in NPLs that could hamper banks’ ability to lend.

Market Infrastructure

MAS, ESMA Sign MOU on Singapore’s Financial Benchmarks

By Editors | 18/04/2020

The MOU and last year’s equivalence decision from the European Commission ensure that FIs in the EU can continue using SIBOR and the SOR as reference rates in their contracts.

AML / KYC

OFSI Fines Standard Chartered $25m for Sanctions Breaches

By Editors | 07/04/2020

Standard Chartered made a series of loans to a Turkish private bank, which at the time was almost wholly owned by Sberbank, a sanctioned Russian bank.

Securities / Derivatives

Banks Scrap Dividends, Buybacks Amid Regulatory Pressure

By Manesh Samtani | 02/04/2020

HSBC and Standard Chartered are among the banks that have scrapped their 2019/2020 dividends and agreed not to buy back shares.

Capital / Liquidity

ECB Calls on Banks to Suspend Dividends, Buybacks for Six Months

By Editors | 30/03/2020

Rabobank, ING, ABN Amro, UniCredit, Commerzbank, Banco Santander, KBC Bank, Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland have suspended dividend and buyback plans until 1 October.