LIBOR: to 2021 the countdown - Helping business understand and prepare for the phasing out of LIBOR beyond 2021 - Lloyds Bank

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LIBOR: to 2021 the countdown - Helping business understand and prepare for the phasing out of LIBOR beyond 2021 - Lloyds Bank
LIBOR:
the countdown
    to 2021

       Helping business
       understand and prepare
       for the phasing out of
       LIBOR beyond 2021
       May 2020

       By the side of business
LIBOR: to 2021 the countdown - Helping business understand and prepare for the phasing out of LIBOR beyond 2021 - Lloyds Bank
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                                                  Overview

Background
The future of the London Interbank Offered              Regulation Authority (PRA) wrote to                       •	The RFRWG priorities and roadmap9
Rate (LIBOR) has been a major discussion                the CEOs of major banks and insurers                         for 2020
topic since Andrew Bailey’s speech in July              supervised in the UK (in September 2018),
20171, where he announced that it was                   asking for details of the preparations                    •	A paper10 setting out the RFRWG’s
the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s)               and actions they are taking to manage                        views on the appropriate use of SONIA
intention that it would no longer use its               transition from LIBOR to alternative interest                (Sterling Overnight Index Average rate)
powers to persuade or compel the panel                  rate benchmarks.                                             compounded in arrears and guidance for
of banks that contribute LIBOR quotes                                                                                where the use of alternative approaches,
to do so beyond the end of 2021. This                   Whilst the letters6 were sent to the largest                 such as a Term SONIA Reference Rate,
has led to significant activity amongst                 banks and insurers in the first instance, the                may be necessary
market participants and industry bodies,                FCA and PRA are encouraging all firms that
with working groups set up in the UK and                currently rely on LIBOR to read and reflect               •	A statement11 considering ‘lessons
globally to assess the implications of                  on their letter.                                             learned’ from recent conversions of
moving to alternative benchmarks and the                                                                             legacy LIBOR contracts
implications of LIBOR cessation. Following              On the 5 June 20197 the Bank of England
on from this speech, Andrew Bailey                      (BoE), the FCA and the Working Group on                   •	A factsheet12 for end-users summarising
provided further updates in July 20182 and              Sterling Risk Free Reference Rates (RFRWG)                   LIBOR transition, and setting out why
July 20193, where he further underlined                 jointly held a conference on the work                        market participants need to act now.
the need for markets to transition away                 underway to transition from GBP LIBOR to
from LIBOR.                                             alternative risk-free interest rates. Whilst             The end-user factsheet in particular was a
                                                        the principles in this paper are relevant to all         key priority for the RFRWG Communication
Latest updates to this document are                     five of the LIBOR currencies the discussion              sub-group, and is designed as a guide to
being made at a time when Coronavirus                   focussed primarily on GBP LIBOR and                      widen awareness of LIBOR transition with
(COVID-19) is impacting events globally.                its alternatives.                                        broad dissemination in mind.
In connection with LIBOR transition the
FCA published an update 4 on its website                In January 2020 the BoE, the FCA and the                 Also included with this update was a
on 25 March confirming that firms should                RFRWG issued8 a joint statement providing                letter13 from the FCA and the BoE to major
continue to work on the assumption that                 an update on next steps for transition.                  banks and insurers setting out their initial
LIBOR will cease at the end of 2021. A                                                                           expectations of firms’ transition progress
further update5 was published on 29 April,              The material published on the RFRWG                      during 2020. Amongst other things the
confirming the same position but also                   webpage highlights a number of important                 letter highlights that “2020 will be a key year
noted some changes in relation to Loan                  events scheduled for 2020 and clarifies                  for transition” and that “The intention is
transition milestones.                                  actions that market participants should take             for sterling LIBOR to cease after the end of
                                                        to reduce their LIBOR exposures ahead of                 2021. No firm should plan otherwise”.
In connection with Andrew Bailey’s earlier              the end of 2021. These materials encourage
speeches the FCA and the Prudential                     market participants to refer to:
1
  Andrew Bailey, The future of LIBOR (July 27, 2017), available at https://www.fca.org.uk/news/speeches/the-future-of-libor
2
  Andrew Bailey, Interest rate benchmark reform: transition to a world without LIBOR, available at https://www.fca.org.uk/news/speeches/interest-rate-benchmarkreform-
  transition-world-without-libor
3
  Andrew Bailey, LIBOR: Preparing for the end available at https://www.fca.org.uk/news/speeches/libor-preparing-end
4
  Impact of the coronavirus on firms LIBOR transition plans.
5
  Further statement on the impact of Coronavirus
6
  Dear CEO letter, available at https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/dear-ceo-libor-letter
7
  Last Orders Calling Time on LIBOR event https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/events/2019/june/last-orders-calling-time-on-libor
8
  Next Steps for LIBOR transition in 2020: the time to act is now
9
  RFRWG 2020 Top Level Priorities and Roadmap
10
   Use Cases of Benchmark Rates: Compounded in Arrears, Term Rate and Further Alternatives
11
   Progress on the Transition of LIBOR-Referencing Legacy Bonds to SONIA By Way Of Consent Solicitation
12
   Calling Time on LIBOR: Why you need to act now
13
   Joint PRA / FCA Letter to Senior Managers : Next Steps on LIBOR transition

                                                                                  2
LIBOR: to 2021 the countdown - Helping business understand and prepare for the phasing out of LIBOR beyond 2021 - Lloyds Bank
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

This paper also summarises some of the key            IBA, and LIBOR has been designated as a          reinforced by Andrew Bailey’s speeches in
issues being considered and activities being          Critical Benchmark under EU Benchmarks           July 2018 and July 2019, and other speeches
undertaken, as financial and capital market           Regulation (BMR). Other important IBORs          from the FCA and regulators globally,
participants prepare for the potential                are EURIBOR (Euro Interbank Offered Rate)        strongly encouraging market participants
cessation of LIBOR beyond the end of 2021.            and TIBOR (Tokyo Interbank Offered Rate).        not to rely on LIBOR’s continuation beyond
                                                                                                       2021, and to make plans for transition.
At Lloyds Bank, we recognise these changes            Why is LIBOR being phased out?
have important implications for many of               In July 2017 the FCA announced that it           Why would LIBOR cessation be a big deal?
our clients. We will continue to engage with          was its intention to no longer “persuade,        LIBOR is a key interest rate benchmark
clients on market developments, transition            or compel, banks to submit to LIBOR” or          used for hundreds of trillions of dollars in
plans and we welcome your feedback.                   “to sustain the benchmark through our            financial products and contracts worldwide
Please feel free to discuss any thoughts or           influence or legal powers” after the end of      including; corporate loans, derivatives,
concerns with your Relationship Manager.              2021. In his 2017 speech Andrew Bailey,          corporate bonds/FRNs, structured debt
                                                      the CEO of the FCA, stated “the underlying       products, deposits and mortgages. It
What is LIBOR?                                        market that LIBOR seeks to measure               also plays a central role for many banks’
LIBOR publication dates back to at least              – the market for unsecured wholesale             internal funding benchmarks and Insurance
1986 and since then it has grown to become            term lending to banks – is no longer             companies’ Solvency II balance sheets.
a global benchmark interest rate for                  sufficiently active”.
financial products.                                                                                    Where existing contracts run into 2022
                                                      The FCA also announced in November               and beyond, market participants will need
Currently, a reference panel of between 11            201715 that all current panel banks              to deploy resources to review and amend
and 16 contributor banks for each LIBOR               had agreed to continue with LIBOR                documentation in order to confirm suitable
currency (GBP, EUR, USD, JPY, CHF) submit             contributions until the end of 2021. This        replacements to LIBOR as the reference
daily interest rates for various periods up           was intended to allow sufficient time for a      rate, depending on the outcome of a
to 12 months. LIBOR is then calculated                market-led solution to LIBOR transition to       market-led solution.
and published for each relevant currency              be developed and implemented.
and tenor.                                                                                             For new contracts entered into before
                                                      The announcements have provided                  2022, market participants will need to
Contributing banks are required to                    greater impetus for regulators and market        employ appropriate fallback provisions in
formulate submissions in accordance                   participants to accelerate thinking about        documentation, although regulators have
with the methodology requirements14                   alternative benchmark rates and the              been actively encouraging LIBOR users
published by ICE Benchmark Administration             implications of LIBOR and other IBORs            to transition away from the benchmark
(IBA). The benchmark is administered by               potentially ceasing to exist. This was further   rate ahead of 2021 rather than relying
                                                                                                       on fallbacks.

                                                                                                       In connection with this initiative RFRWG
                                                                                                       Loans Enablers Task Force published a
                                                                                                       guide16 in March 2020 which provides
                                                                                                       information and an indicative roadmap
The market LIBOR seeks to measure is no longer                                                         to meet the RFRWG target. The paper
                                                                                                       is intended to act as a guide for lenders,
sufficiently active. Engagement will be needed from                                                    borrowers and infrastructure providers in
participants across all relevant sectors and markets to                                                determining steps within their firms to meet
                                                                                                       this timeline.
transition away from LIBOR.

14
   ICE LIBOR methodology
15
   FCA Statement published 24/11/17 on LIBOR Panels
16
   RFRWG Loans Enablers Task Force guide March 2020

                                                                             3
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                       An international effort

Since 2014 a number of countries have set       The US started publishing Secured                          Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) (the
up working groups to identify near-Risk         Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) in April                   US equivalent of the Sterling RFRWG) has
Free Reference Rates (RFRs) as part of a        2018 which was followed by the launch of                   published a paced transition plan with
G20 initiative, delegated to the Financial      a futures market. A swap market exists but                 key milestones to transition away from
Stability Board (FSB), to review and reform     has been slower to take off. The Alternative               USD LIBOR by the end of 2021. It has also
benchmark rates. The FSB established
an Official Sector Steering Group (OSSG),
to focus the FSB’s work on the most             Alternative benchmark rates developed for all 5 LIBOR currencies
fundamental interest rate benchmarks.

Each of the RFRs that are potential                                 Industry body / organisation          (Near) RFR recommendation*
alternatives to LIBOR has challenges. For                           deciding alternative rate
instance, some are based on secured and
others on unsecured transactions. There is
also presently a lack of liquidity in some of                       Working Group on Sterling             SONIA, an unsecured overnight rate
the markets referencing these benchmarks                            RFR set up by BoE                     calculated by the Bank of England from
and none of the solutions identified so far                                                               eligible transactions reported to them
offers a forward-looking, term structure                                                                  via their sterling money market daily data
similar to LIBOR. In fact they are all                                                                    collection process in accordance with
backward-looking overnight rates, whereas                                                                 form “SMMD”. Reformed SONIA has been
LIBOR tenors go out to one year, with 3                                                                   published since April 2018
month and 6 month tenors, in particular,
being extensively used in derivative and
loan/bond markets.                                                  Working Group on RFR for the          The ECB announced on the 13 September
                                                                    Euro Area, formed by FSMA,            2018 that the private sector working group
Different countries are at different stages                         ESMA, ECB and the European            had recommended €STR as the alternative
of preparedness for transitioning to an                             Commission                            Euro risk-free rate. €STR reflects wholesale
alternative benchmark. In the UK, there                                                                   Euro unsecured overnight borrowing costs
already exists a relatively liquid Sterling                                                               of Euro area banks and is expected to be
Overnight Index Average (SONIA) swap                                                                      published from 2 October 2019
market and this is expected to increase
following recent guidance17 from the BoE
                                                                    Alternative Reference Rates           SOFR, a new, broad US Treasuries repo
and the FCA, that market makers should
                                                                    Committee, convened by the            financing rate published since April 2018
change the convention for sterling interest
                                                                    Federal Reserve
rate swaps from LIBOR to SONIA from
2 March 2020 (the intention is that market
makers will quote SONIA swap prices to                              Study Group on RFR                    TONAR (Tokyo Overnight Average Rate),
clients and market participants ahead of                                                                  an uncollateralised overnight call rate
LIBOR prices).

This January 2020 guidance also noted that                          The National Working Group            SARON (Swiss Average Rate Overnight),
“The market for SONIA derivatives is already                        on CHF Reference Rates                which references actual market transactions
well-established. Average cleared over-the-                         (NWG)                                 in the Swiss Franc interbank repo market
counter SONIA swaps exceeded £4.5trillion                                                                 (i.e. secured)
per month over the past six months, and
the traded monthly notional value is now
                                                * These recommendations will help develop alternatives for LIBOR over time.
broadly equivalent to Sterling LIBOR”.
                                                17
                                                     F CA and Bank of England encourage switch from LIBOR to SONIA for sterling interest rate swaps from
                                                     Spring 2020

                                                                            4
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

     instituted weekly calls to brief the market                           Index Average (EONIA) and EURIBOR                                recommended a reformed SONIA as the
     and take questions as long as there is                                have recently been changed.                                      preferred Sterling RFR as an alternative
     sufficient interest. The ARRC provided                                Since 2 October 2019 EONIA (often                                to GBP LIBOR. The BoE define SONIA as
     an update on its key objectives for 2020                              referenced in EUR collateralised derivative                      “a measure of the rate at which interest
     in April18.                                                           contracts) has been quoted as €STR plus a                        is paid on sterling short-term wholesale
                                                                           fixed spread of 8.5 basis points, published                      funds in circumstances where the credit,
     In the Eurozone, the phasing out of                                   on a T+1 basis and is likely to continue                         liquidity and other risks are minimal”22.
     EURIBOR is running at a slower pace than                              until end 202120 when EONIA will cease to                        The working group has identified that
     LIBOR and there is no proposed cessation                              be published. During 2019 the EURIBOR                            active engagement will be needed from
     date. In the near term EURIBOR has been                               submission methodology changed and it                            participants across all relevant sectors and
     reformed to comply with the requirements                              now follows a similar hybrid methodology21                       markets to transition away from LIBOR. As a
     of the EU Benchmarks Regulation (BMR),                                as adopted by the IBA for LIBOR.                                 result, a number of sub-working groups and
     although its long-term future remains                                                                                                  task forces have been set up, each with a
     uncertain. The Euro Short-Term Rate19                                 What is the Bank of England doing to aid                         different industry and product focus.
     (€STR) commenced publication from                                     LIBOR transition?
     2 October 2019. The calculation                                       The BoE has initiated a working group                            The working group is publishing a monthly
     methodology for both the Euro Overnight                               on Sterling RFR (the RFRWG), which has                           newsletter with key news relating to RFR
                                                                                                                                            transition in GBP markets and others.

     Sterling RFR Working Groups

                                           Q1                                                    Q2                                      Q3                         Q4           2021

                          Statement of 2020 RFR Working Group
                                                                       Ongoing education and awareness campaigns, including a series of webinars,
                          priorities and supporting documents:
Communication

                                                                       roundtables and events
Working Group

                          • Factsheet for end users
                          • Consent solicitation statement
                          • Term Rate Use Case Paper

                                                Q1 Event: communicate Q3 target to            Ongoing communications to cash
                                                Corp/Mid-Corp/SMEs/Specialist Finance         market stakeholders

                          Swaption conventions: Anonymised
                          survey feedback published
                                ‘Tough Legacy’:               Loans Enablers taskforce
RFR Working Group

                                paper published               publish detailed roadmap to
                                                              Q3 target                   Cash credit spread adjustment:
                                                                                          summary feedback published
Deliverables

                                                                                                      Cash legacy transition
                                                                                                      paper published
                                Term Rate: provisional                Term Rate: provisional publish                                      Term Rate: provisional live
                                development for dealers to            an initial ‘beta’ term rate to be                                   Term Rate published
                                stream prices to venues               used for testing purposes

                                                                      Q1 TARGET                                                                                                 Q1 2021
                                                                      Key infrastructure available from Treasury                                                                TARGET
                                                                      Management Systems and loans vendors to                                                                   Stock of
Market Developments

                                                                      use compounded SONIA                                                                                      LIBOR
                                                             Interest rate swap conventions                                                                                     referencing
                                                             change from LIBOR to SONIA                                                                                         contracts
                                                                                                                                                                                significantly
                                                                 ISDA protocol expected to be                     ISDA protocol: expected target for                            reduced
                                                                 published, introducing amended                   adoption
                                                                 fallback terms for IBORs in definitions
                                                                 and protocol

                         Communication                Conventions                     WG Deliverables                Term Rate                   Key Market targets      ISDA Developments

    18
               ARRC Key Objectives for 2020
    19
              ECB Press Release, 14 March 2019
    20
               ECB working group recommends ESTER as euro risk-free rate
    21
               EMMI blueprint for the hybrid methodology for the determination of EURIBOR
    22
               BoE SONIA Key features and policies

                                                                                                           5
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

How is Lloyds Banking Group preparing for the transition away from LIBOR and other IBORs?

        Lloyds Bank is preparing itself for           Lloyds Banking Group is
                                                                                               In September 2018 Lloyds
        IBOR transition, with the primary             represented on the Working Group         Bank plc became the first
        objective to position the Group
        for, and engage with clients on,
                                                      on Sterling RFR, which was initiated
                                                      to assist the BoE in meeting its
                                                                                               UK Retail and Commercial
        the consequences of potential                 objective of developing sterling         lender to price a bond
        cessation of LIBOR, and other
        IBORs, and commence transition
                                                      RFRs. It is also active on a number
                                                      of the BoE facilitated industry-wide
                                                                                               using SONIA as its
        work to alternative benchmarks.               sub-groups that have been set up,        reference rate. It launched
                                                      including the Loan Markets, Bond
                                                      and Infrastructure sub-groups and        the first securitisation
        Lloyds Bank will continue to
                                                      Term Sonia Task Force.                    referencing SONIA in
        engage with clients on market                                                          December 2018.
        developments. In the meantime
        we recommend clients raise                    Lloyds Bank is active in Sterling        In 2019 and following
        awareness internally of changes               swaps referencing both LIBOR and         consent solicitation
        that may be coming and keep                   SONIA and has been facilitating
        abreast of future developments.               transitions to SONIA for some clients.   exercises Lloyds Bank plc
                                                                                               also agreed with
                                                                                               noteholders to switch
                                                                                               the interest payments on
                                                                                               certain debt instruments
                                                                                               from LIBOR to SONIA and
                                                                                               this has been followed
                                                                                               in 2020 with further
                                                                                               successful exercises.
                                                                                               Lloyds Banking Group has
                                                                                               also been developing and
                                                                                               launching a suite of new
                                                                                               products that reference
                                                                                               the selected RFRs.

                                                                   6
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                              Transition Challenges:
                                               Key Areas of Debate

In the UK, reformed SONIA has                             By way of example, what this means for            ISDA has a protocol system to which parties
been selected as the Sterling RFR23.                      a sterling interest rate swap is that the         may adhere in order to amend legacy
However, there are a number                               calculation method will measure the               contracts (to incorporate the fallbacks
of challenges to overcome in                              difference between LIBOR and SONIA over           discussed above), which may allow for a
transitioning away from LIBOR either                      a five year historical period (prior to and       relatively streamlined process. Although
before or at the point of cessation.                      ending at the point of an announcement of         not all entities will use protocols and not all
                                                          GBP LIBOR cessation). Under the proposals         derivatives will be documented under ISDA.
Fallback provisions                                       the LIBOR component of the swap would be          The protocol is also scheduled to come into
Most financial instrument documents include               replaced with SONIA plus a median of the          effect in 2020.
provisions to guide how interest rates will               five year spread. The calculation includes two
be set if LIBOR is no longer available, for               components which seek to measure both the         LMA is also reviewing its fallback provisions:
example in a contingency event such as an                 credit spread (mentioned above) and term          it currently provides optional wording for
IT failure. However, these provisions were                adjustments between the RFR (which is an          new contracts, allowing for a replacement
originally designed to address temporary,                 overnight rate) and the relevant LIBOR tenor.     benchmark in case of an unforeseen
rather than permanent, LIBOR cessation                                                                      event, for example where the screen rate is
and are therefore unlikely to provide a long-             Supplemental consultations were launched          unavailable; or more recently, anticipating
term solution.                                            in May 2019 for USD LIBOR (and other              uncertainty over the future of LIBOR if a
                                                          benchmarks) and in December 2019 for              replacement benchmark is adopted with the
Industry groups such as the International                 EURIBOR and EUR LIBOR.                            consent of the borrower group and majority
Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) and                                                                lenders (instead of requiring all-lender
Loan Market Association (LMA) have been                   In July 201925 ISDA announced that                consent27). In the US market, the ARRC has
reviewing their respective fallback provisions.           Bloomberg Index Services Limited had              published example fallback provisions for use
ISDA established a working group to identify              been selected to calculate and publish            in both bilateral and syndicated loans. No
and implement new fallback provisions for                 adjustments related to the fallbacks that         matter whether majority or all-lender consent
certain key IBORs if they are discontinued. In            ISDA intends to implement for certain             is required, it is likely to be operationally
2018 they launched a consultation on how                  interest rate benchmarks in its 2006 ISDA         burdensome to make a change, as each
a fallback rate should be calculated which                Definitions. Bloomberg is expected to publish     individual loan agreement will need to
revealed a market preference for a fallback               the historical fallback rate adjustments from     be amended.
to a RFR “compounded set in arrears” with a               around Q2 2020 and has published a set of
“historic mean/median” spread adjustment                  FAQs26 on this topic.                             Bilateral renegotiations are more difficult
for legacy contracts24. Following further                                                                   in the public bond market and fallbacks
consultations a median five year look back                The language to incorporate the fallback rates    may require additional consideration. In
has been selected as the fallback. As LIBOR               will be included within ISDA 2006 definitions     the US, the ARRC has discussed potentially
incorporates a measure of both term risk and              during 2020 meaning that any new contracts        approaching the state of New York to seek
bank credit risk in its calculation, which RFRs           will automatically incorporate these fallbacks.   a legislative release which would clarify the
do not, a spread adjustment is required to                                                                  fallback mechanism if LIBOR is no longer
preserve an equivalent economic position                                                                    published and avoid widespread disruption to
insofar as possible.                                                                                        the market. An update28 on this was provided
                                                                                                            by the ARRC in March 2020.

23
     SONIA Recommended as the sterling near risk free interest rate benchmark
24
     ISDA Press Release, 20 December 2018
25
     ISDA Press Release 31 July 2019
26
     Bloomberg IBOR Fallback Rate Adjustments FAQ
27
     LMA LIBOR Microsite
28
     A
      lternative Reference Rate Committee – LIBOR & Potential New York State Legislation

                                                                                  7
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                                           In January 2019, Edwin Schooling Latter          The update also stated that due to the
                                                           from the FCA delivered a speech highlighting     agreement in place with LIBOR panel banks
                                                           contractual fallbacks and the need for           to remain on the LIBOR panels until end-2021,
“The Task Force considered                                 market participants to focus on these ahead      the FCA do not expect LIBOR to cease or
that use of SONIA                                          of any potential cessation of LIBOR29. He
                                                           speculated on how LIBOR may eventually
                                                                                                            become non-representative before end-2021.

compounded in arrears                                      end. For example, following the departure        In line with expectations from the Official
                                                           of one or more panel banks, the Regulator        Sector (e.g. Regulators and Central Banks)
was appropriate and is likely                              may determine that a benchmark is no longer      the market needs to consider, prepare and
operationally achievable for                               representative of the underlying market, and     agree alternatives for an orderly transition. In
                                                           suggested that this may be a suitable fallback   connection with this ISDA launched a further
approximately 90% of new                                   trigger. However, he went on to state “The       consultation in May 2019. The consultation
loan deals by value and that                               best and smoothest transition from LIBOR         related to pre-cessation issues and sought
                                                           will be one in which contracts that reference    comment on how derivatives contracts
alternative rates would likely                             LIBOR are replaced and amended before            should address a regulatory announcement
be required for 10% of new                                 fallback provisions are triggered”.              that LIBOR or certain other IBORs
                                                                                                            categorised as critical benchmarks under
loan deals by value based                                  In a March 2020 update30 the FCA outlined        the EU Benchmarks Regulation are no longer
on the anonymous survey                                    how they would announce to the market
                                                           details of such an event. The update confirms
                                                                                                            representative of an underlying market.

carried out by the                                         that this would be made via the Regulatory       Preliminary results from this consultation
Task Force”.                                               News Service, at the same time as, or very
                                                           shortly followed by, a posting of a fuller
                                                                                                            were published in August 201931 however no
                                                                                                            overall consensus was reached on how to
                                                           statement on their website.                      implement the pre-cessation fallbacks. Since
                                                                                                            the consultation there has been a number of
                                                                                                            exchanges between the Financial Stability
                                                                                                            Board32 and ISDA33 on how pre-cessation
                                                                                                            events may be included within ISDA contracts.

29
   Edwin Schooling Latter, LIBOR transition and contractual fallbacks
30
   FCA update on LIBOR contractual triggers
31
   Preliminary Results of ISDA Pre-cessation Issues Consultation
32
   Financial Stability Board letter to ISDA
33
   ISDA response to Financial Stability Board

                                                                                  8
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

Following those exchanges, which included             Investment (LDI) market that tend to transact      Following this, during 2019, four potential
responses to certain questions that ISDA              collateralised swaps see some benefit in           Term SONIA benchmark administrators
had raised, in February 2020 ISDA launched            transitioning sooner rather than later to          presented their proposals for a Term SONIA
a re-consultation34 on pre-cessation events.          SONIA-based swaps. For those participants,         rate (TSRR) to the RFRWG, and they provided
This consultation proposes, subject to certain        their derivatives are already typically valued     a progress update in May 201938.
conditions in relation to the consultation            off a SONIA curve and therefore some see
responses being met, that the 2006 ISDA               value in moving to SONIA-based swaps if            In January 2020 the RFRWG published39 a
Definitions will be amended to include                there is sufficient liquidity in the OIS market.   paper titled “Use Cases of Benchmark Rates:
fallbacks that would apply to all covered                                                                Compounded in Arrears, Term Rate and
derivatives following the permanent                   Grandfathered OTC derivatives may become           Further Alternatives”.
cessation of an IBOR or a ‘non-representative’        subject to regulations requiring those
pre-cessation event, whichever occurs first.          derivatives to be submitted for clearing           The Task Force considered that use of SONIA
Under this scenario, the fallback protocol            or collateralised in accordance with the           compounded in arrears was appropriate
referred to above would also be launched              uncleared margin rules upon material               and is likely operationally achievable for
with both pre-cessation and permanent                 amendment. The Basel Committee on                  approximately 90% by value of the Sterling
cessation triggers for the fallbacks to apply to      Banking Supervision and the International          LIBOR loan market sampled and that the
participants’ legacy derivatives trades.              Organization of Securities Commissions             remaining 10% by total loan value would likely
                                                      have released a statement advising that            require alternative rates.
Considerations in derivative markets                  amendments to legacy derivative contracts,
In agreeing fallbacks for LIBOR to an adjusted        in response to benchmark reforms, do               The paper also notes some other potential
RFR plus spread adjustment the ISDA working           not require the application of margin              use cases including: Trade and working capital
group considered a number of criteria:                requirements35. However, the situation may         products such as supply chain finance and
                                                      depend upon relevant implementing laws.            receivable facilities; and other areas including
     1. Simplicity and ease of calculating;                                                              Export finance and emerging market loan
                                                      Considerations in loan and bond markets            clients who typically require much more time
     2. Data requirements;                            A key consideration for certain sectors in the     to make payments of interest and principal
                                                      loan and bond markets has been whether it          payments, sometimes in excess of 30 days,
     3.	Similarity with the structure of Overnight   is necessary to retain a forward-looking term      and Islamic facilities that can pay variable
         Index Swaps (OIS).                           structure in a RFR as an alternative to LIBOR.     rates of return so long as the variable element
                                                      For example in sterling markets, SONIA is          is pre-determined.
Proposals for a spread adjustment were                an overnight rate and backward-looking,
measured against the following criteria:              whereas some borrowers and lenders/                The message from the paper is that the use
                                                      investors have a preference for certainty          of any TSRR should be limited and that where
     1. Eliminating or minimising value transfer;     of cash flow that can only be provided by          possible market participants should use
                                                      a forward-looking measure. As RFRs are             alternative rates.
     2.	Eliminating or minimising any potential      backward-looking, the rate can only be
         for manipulation;                            calculated near the end of an interest period      In February 2020 the Bank of England
                                                      with a knock-on implication for systems and        announced its intention to publish a daily
     3.	Eliminating or mitigating against the        payment timings.                                   compounding SONIA index from July 202040
         impact of market disruption at the time                                                         to support the use of SONIA in a wide range
         the fallback is applied.                     The RFRWG Term SONIA sub-working group,            of financial products by simplifying the
                                                      and more recently the Term SONIA priority          calculation of compounded SONIA fixings.
Even a simple change such as referencing              task force, has looked into how a forward-         A consultation was also issued seeking
daily compounding SONIA plus x bps instead            looking rate can be constructed from SONIA         views from sterling market participants on
of LIBOR may result in some value transfer            and in July 2018 it launched a consultation        the usefulness of publishing a simple set of
due to changes in market value following a            on Term SONIA rates36. The consultation            compounded SONIA period averages giving
change in the benchmark interest rate.                acknowledges the need in some areas                users easy access to SONIA interest rates,
                                                      of the market for a forward-looking Term           compounded over a range of set time periods.
There may also be accounting and tax                  SONIA reference rate. In November 2018 a           This followed a similar initiative from the New
issues, as many counterparties use LIBOR              summary of responses to the consultation           York Fed, which has been publishing Term
for derivative valuation purposes. Some               were published37.                                  SOFR rates since March 2020.
participants in the pensions Liability Driven

34
   ISDA Consultation on Pre-cessation fallbacks
35
   BCBS/IOSCO Press Release, 05 March 2019
36
   BoE consultation on Term SONIA rates
37
   Summary of responses to BoE Term SONIA consultation
38
   Working Group on Sterling Risk Free Rate progress update
39
   Use Cases of Benchmark Rates: Compounded in Arrears, Term Rate and Further Alternatives
40
   Bank of England discussion paper daily SONIA compounded index and SONIA period averages

                                                                              9
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

These initiatives are likely to benefit end users       A number of firms (mostly banks) have issued
who are not familiar with calculating interest          bonds referencing RFRs. To overcome cash
rates over a time period where the rate                 flow challenges, bond issuers have adopted
changes each day.                                       mechanisms to smooth the settlement                    “The discontinuation
According to the latest RFRWG roadmap we
                                                        process. In SONIA referencing bonds we have
                                                        seen the Interest Determination Date set five
                                                                                                               of LIBOR should not be
can expect to see the publication of available          days in advance of the interest payment date,          considered a remote
for use term SONIA reference rates during
Q3 2020.
                                                        enabling market participants sufficient time
                                                        for calculation of cash flow and settlement.
                                                                                                               possibility” and “the
                                                        In the US, we have seen a slightly different           biggest obstacle to a
Whilst there are now firmer plans for a sterling
TSRR, in his July 2019 speech41 the FCA’s
                                                        approach for bonds that reference SOFR.
                                                        Initially bonds have typically used a daily
                                                                                                               smooth transition is inertia
Andrew Bailey said “I cannot guarantee                  averaging interest calculation method and              – a hope that LIBOR will
that these efforts to produce term rates will           lockout period, where instead of a lag, the
be successful, or the precise timing of their           same interest rate fixing is assumed for the           continue, or that work on
arrival” and cautioned that “we think that any          final few days of the interest period (initially       transition can be delayed
firms still delaying transition until term rates        four days, or more recently, two days).
arrive are making a mistake”. At the present            More recent SOFR issuances have utilised               or ignored. Misplaced
time there are no definitive timelines for term         the SONIA lookback method with coupons                 confidence is a risk to
risk free reference rates in other currencies.          paid on a daily compounding basis. These
                                                        differing conventions in SONIA and SOFR                financial stability as well as
In the US the ARRC published a User’s Guide
to SOFR, the document includes information
                                                        may still evolve and harmonise. A discussion
                                                        paper exploring these conventions for
                                                                                                               to individual firms. ”
on a potential Term SOFR42. There are similar           the sterling market and inviting feedback
term rate considerations underway in both               was issued in March 201944 and in August
the EU and Japan.                                       2019 responses to the consultation were
                                                        published45. Similarly in the US, the ARRC has
In a positive development the first daily               produced a number of papers including a
compounding SONIA loan was announced                    SOFR conventions guide. These materials can            those which mature after 2021. This review
in June 2019 and since then we have seen a              be found on the ARRC website46. It is worth            could include the creation of an overall
small number of additional transactions. We             noting that both the Bank of England and the           inventory of products and systems used to
can expect to see further transactions during           Fed’s proposals for an RFR index employ the            capture such exposures. The official sector
2020 as firms work with system vendors to               same compounding in arrears methodology,               are encouraging firms to transition rather
upgrade loan booking platforms.                         which may foster convergence in terms of               than rely on fallbacks, and if Term SONIA
                                                        international practices.                               is published (albeit for limited use cases)
A further consideration is if the swap market                                                                  or the market adopts alternative solutions
changes in a different way to the loan and              What next?                                             (as seen in the bond markets) and once
bond markets, as this could give rise to basis          In his July 2018 speech, Andrew Bailey said:           the ISDA fallback process is complete, we
risk and volatility in P&L for hedge accounting         “The discontinuation of LIBOR should not be            expect transition to alternative benchmarks
packages. The International Accounting                  considered a remote possibility” and “the              to accelerate. Firms should also pay close
Standards Board (IASB) is currently discussing          biggest obstacle to a smooth transition is             attention to the timeline47 published by the
recommended treatment for existing hedge                inertia – a hope that LIBOR will continue, or          RFRWG and also the revised target date
accounting. The Board recently approved                 that work on transition can be delayed or              of Q1 2021 by which time GBP issuance of
recommendations to allow the continuance                ignored. Misplaced confidence is a risk to             LIBOR based Loan product with a maturity
of hedge accounting for LIBOR-linked                    financial stability as well as to individual firms.”   date beyond 2021 has ceased. Following the
products, the latest update43 was provided in                                                                  update on 29 April 2020 firms should also pay
January 2020.                                           In the first instance, firms are encouraged            attention to any further statements from the
                                                        to review existing LIBOR exposures and                 RFRWG on the impact of Coronavirus on the
                                                        fallbacks, paying particular attention to              timeline for LIBOR transition plans.

41
   Andrew Bailey speech LIBOR : preparing for the end
42
   A User’s Guide to SOFR, April 2019
43
   IBOR reform and its Effects on Financial Reporting – Phase 2
44
   Discussion Paper: Conventions for referencing SONIA in new contracts
45
   Summary from the Working Group and responses to the consultation
46
   Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC)
47
   RFRWG 2020 Top Level Priorities and Roadmap

                                                                                 10
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                Phasing out LIBOR – timeline

            UK

                The Working Group                          One year after his                      National Express                     Interest
                on Sterling Risk-Free                      first speech Andrew                     is first company to                  rate swap
                Reference Rates                            Bailey reinforces LIBOR                 publically announce                  conventions
                                                           transition message                                                                            No new     Panel
                (Sterling WG)                                                                      it has entered into a                change from
                                                                                                                                                         GBP        Banks no
                announces SONIA                                                                    SONIA loan facility                  LIBOR to
                                                                                                                                                         LIBOR      longer
                as its preferred near                                                                                                   SONIA
                                                                                                                                                         cash       compelled
                Risk Free Reference
                                                                                                                                                         products   to submit
                Rate (RFR)                                                                   Sterling WG
                                                                                                                                                         beyond     to LIBOR
                                                               EIB (Jun) and Lloyds          publishes
                                                                                                                                                         2021
                      FCA CEO                                  Bank (Sep) issue              priorities and                              Revised                     Regulators
                                                                                                                                                         maturity
                      Andrew Bailey                            SONIA-linked bonds            roadmap for                                 ISDA 2006                   expect
                      questions the                                                          2020                                        Definitions     Significant LIBOR to
                      sustainability                                      PRA/FCA                                                                        reduction cease
                                                                                             Sterling WG
                      of LIBOR in                                         issue                                                                          in stock of
                                                                                             publishes
                      speech to                                           Dear CEO                                                                       GBP LIBOR
                                                                                             report on SONIA
                      Bloomberg                                           Letter                                                                         contracts
                                                                                             compounded in
                                                                                             arrears and use
                             Reformed
                                                                                             cases
                             SONIA first
                             published by                                                    SONIA Term                                      SONIA
                             BoE in April                                                    Rate test data                                  Term
                             2018                                                                                                            Rate
                                                                                                                                             available
                             SONIA futures                                                                                                   for use
                             are traded

        2017                                       2018                                    2019                              2020                                2021

                                       SOFR
Panel Banks agree                      published
to continue LIBOR                      and SOFR
contributions until                    futures
                                       start              €STR
end 2021
                                       to trade           selected as
                                                          EUR RFR                             ISDA’s fallback for FCA and IBA                Expected effective
                                                                                              IBORs agreed        letters to ISDA            date of amended
                                                                                                                  on pre-cessation           2006 ISDA
                                                                                              €STR published from
                                                                                                                  trigger                    definitions and
                                                            ISDA launches                     2 October 2019.
                                                                                                                                             related protocol
      LIBOR designated                                      consultation on                   EONIA set to €STR   LCH consultation
      a Critical                                            pre-cessation                     + 8.5bps and will   on pre-cessation
      Benchmark under                                       issues for LIBOR                  be published until  trigger
      EU Benchmark                                                                            January 2022
      Regulation (BMR)
                                                    ISDA launches                                   EURIBOR added to the ESMA
                                                    consultation on                                 benchmark register as BMR               CME and LCH              SOFR
                                                    fallbacks for IBORs                             compliant                               change derivative        Term Rate
                                                                                                  BMR amended to allow regulators to        discounting from         available
     International                                                                                compel submitters for up to 5 years       LIBOR to SOFR            for use

                                                                                      11
LIBOR: the countdown to 2021

                                                           Glossary
ACT:      Association of Corporate Treasurers   FSB:        Financial Stability Board               LMA:     Loan Market Association
BCBS:     Basel Committee on Banking            FSMA:       Financial Services and Markets          NWG:     National Working Group
          Supervision                                       Authority
                                                                                                    OIS:     Overnight Indexed Swap
BOE:      Bank of England                       G20:        Group of 19 individual countries plus
                                                                                                    OSSG:    Official Sector Steering Group
                                                            the European Union
BMR:      EU Benchmark Regulation
                                                                                                    P&L:     Profit and Loss
                                                IBORs:      Interbank Offered Rates
ECB:      European Central Bank
                                                                                                    PRA:     Prudential Regulation Authority
                                                ICE:        Intercontinental Exchange
EONIA:    Euro Overnight Index Average
                                                                                                    RFR:     Risk Free Reference Rate
                                                ICE BA:     ICE Benchmark Administration Ltd
ESMA:     European Securities and
                                                                                                    SARON:   Swiss Average Rate Overnight
          Markets Authority                     IOSCO:      International Organization of
                                                            Securities Commissions                  SOFR:    Secured Overnight Financing Rate
€STR:     Euro Short-term Rate
                                                ISDA:       International Swaps and Derivatives     SONIA:   Sterling Overnight Index Average
EURIBOR: Euro Interbank Offered Rate
                                                            Association                             TONAR:   Tokyo Overnight Average Rate
FCA:      Financial Conduct Authority
                                                LDI:        Liability Driven Investment             TSRR:    Term SONIA Reference Rate
FRNs:     Floating Rate Notes
                                                LIBOR:      London Interbank Offered Rate

                                                             CONTRIBUTORS

                                                               STEVE BULLOCK

                                                    Head of Benchmark Submission and
                                                   Supervision, Group Corporate Treasury
                                                                Lloyds Bank

                                                       E: steve.bullock@lloydsbanking.com

                                                                        12
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