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On 19 July 2022, the Federal Reserve Board (the “Board”) published a notice of proposed rulemaking – Regulation Implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act, as it was required to do by Section 110[1] of the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act (the “LIBOR Act”),[2] which was signed into law on 15 March 2022.[3]

In its related press release, the Board notes, “Consistent with the [LIBOR Act], the proposal would replace references to LIBOR in certain contracts with the applicable Board-selected replacement rate after June 30, 2023. The contracts include those governed by [US] law that do not mature before LIBOR ends and that lack adequate fallback provisions. The proposal identifies separate Board-selected replacement rates for derivatives transactions, contracts where a government-sponsored enterprise is a party, and all other affected contracts. As required by the [LIBOR Act], each proposed replacement rate is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate.”

Continue Reading Switching to SOFR: Proposed Rule Published to Implement the 2022 Federal LIBOR Act

The version of the proposed federal Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act of 2021 that was introduced in the House of Representative in 2020 mirrored, with a handful of notable exceptions, both the substance and the text of the analogous New York State legislation that became law on 6 April 2021 (the New York statute is included as a new article 18-C of the General Obligations Law).  However, the text of the proposed federal statute that the House Committee on Financial Services ordered reported to full House on 28 July of this year differs markedly from the New York statute.

Continue Reading A Closer Look at the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act of 2021

In April 2021, Alabama followed New York’s lead and passed the LIBOR Discontinuance and Replacement Act of 2021, a bill aimed at addressing LIBOR cessation with respect to USD LIBOR contracts governed by Alabama law that include either insufficient, or no, LIBOR fallbacks.

Continue Reading Alabama Passes LIBOR Bill Substantively Identical to New York Bill

On November 18, 2020, ICE Benchmark Administration (“IBA”), the authorized administrator of LIBOR regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), announced that it will consult on its intention to cease publication of all tenors of euro, sterling, Swiss franc and yen LIBOR after December 31, 2021, subject to confirmation following IBA’s consultation and any rights of the FCA to compel continued publication by IBA. IBA is still in discussions with the FCA, official sector bodies, and panel banks regarding the future of US Dollar LIBOR.

Continue Reading “The End is Nigh”: UK FCA Issues Consultations Regarding Expected New Benchmark Powers in Response to ICE Benchmark Announcement; ISDA Issues Related Statement