LIBOR Cases – A Return to Normality? – Littleton Chambers

Posted April 17th, 2013 in amendments, banking, financial regulation, interest, misrepresentation, news by sally

“Last year I discussed Mr Justice Flaux’s decision in Graiseley Properties Limited and others v Barclays Bank plc [2012] EWHC 3093 (Comm) (see Littleton Comment on 4 December 2012). In that case Flaux J. had allowed amendments to plead fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of implied terms in relation to LIBOR which smoothed the path to claims which were, in essence, that the Bank had sold LIBOR-related products when it knew that its employees were attempting to ‘rig’ LIBOR rates for their own purposes (i.e. making their trades profitable) and that such conduct would disadvantage clients who relied on the Bank not attempting to manipulate LIBOR rates. Although I pointed out that allowing the amendments, which lacked the particularity to be expected, was unusual, I also observed that ‘This is a welcome and realistic approach to the difficulties faced by customers in claims against banks.'”

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Littleton Chambers, 15th April 2013

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Libor scandal: RBS fined £390m – BBC News

Posted February 6th, 2013 in banking, fines, interest, news, professional conduct by sally

“Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has been fined £390m ($610m) by UK and US authorities for its part in the Libor rate-fixing scandal.”

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BBC News, 6th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

No anonymity for bankers involved in Libor scandal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 31st, 2013 in anonymity, banking, interest, news, public interest, trials by sally

“The Commercial Court has resisted an application to anonymise those individuals at Barclays involved in the LIBOR scandal.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judge denies Barclays staff anonymity in Libor case – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2013 in anonymity, banking, interest, news, public interest by tracey

“Barclays has been forced to reveal the identities of more than 100 employees who had been attempting to keep their names out of the public domain ahead of a case involving the alleged manipulation of the Libor rate.”

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The Guardian, 24th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A balanced approach to the challenges of economic crime – Attorney General’s Office

“Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP outlined steps taken to prosecute economic crime at the Cityforum round table. Originally given at City of London Guildhall. This is the text of the speech as drafted, which may differ slightly from the delivered version.”

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Attorney General’s Office, 21st January 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Defendants in Libor-fixing case may be named, court rules – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2013 in anonymity, banking, interest, news, public interest, trials by sally

“More than 100 bankers have failed in a bid to prevent their names being revealed during preliminary hearings of a high court case centred on alleged rigging of the key London interbank offered rate (Libor) by Barclays staff.”

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The Guardian, 21st January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

RBS awaits hefty fines for Libor rigging – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2013 in banking, financial services ombudsman, fines, hedge funds, interest, news by sally

“Stephen Hester lays groundwork for penalties expected to be £500m or more.”

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The Guardian, 20th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

LIBOR administrators will be required to corroborate submissions under FSA proposals – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 7th, 2012 in banking, consultations, financial regulation, interest, news by sally

“Clear, unambiguous rules on the administration of, and submitting to, the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other benchmarks will be included in the regulatory handbook, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

LIBOR to be regulated as Government accepts Wheatley’s recommendations “in full” – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 18th, 2012 in banking, bills, crime, financial regulation, interest, news by sally

“Administering and contributing to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) will become a regulated activity, while criminal sanctions will be introduced for ‘misleading statements’ in relation to the benchmark, the Government has confirmed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Libor review: key points – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2012 in banking, financial regulation, interest, news by tracey

“Martin Wheatley’s 10-point plan includes stripping the BBA of its role and making Libor manipulation a criminal offence.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Libor to be overhauled as part of reforms, says FSA – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2012 in banking, financial regulation, interest, news by tracey

“Martin Wheatley, FSA boss, says Libor is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ and intends to make Libor manipulation a criminal offence.”

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The Guardian, 10th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Type of interest due on overpaid tax is at discretion of national governments, ECJ says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 20th, 2012 in EC law, interest, news, repayment, VAT by tracey

“It is for European member states to determine how interest should be calculated on repayments of overpaid tax, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 19th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Serious Fraud Office launches Libor investigation – BBC News

Posted July 6th, 2012 in banking, fraud, interest, news, Serious Fraud Office by tracey

“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has confirmed that it has formally launched a criminal investigation into the rigging of inter-bank lending rates.”

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BBC News, 6th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Attorney general steps in to caution against speedy banking inquiry – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2012 in banking, financial regulation, inquiries, interest, news by sally

“Britain’s most senior law officer has appeared to undermine the government’s own argument that any inquiry into the current banking scandal needed to happen as quickly as possible.”

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The Guardian, 5th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

David Cameron announces an inquiry into the banking sector – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in banking, fraud, inquiries, interest, news, prosecutions by sally

“Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a parliamentary review of the banking sector in the wake of the Barclays inter-bank lending furore.”

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BBC News, 2nd July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High street banks agree to payouts for mis-selling financial products – The Guardian

“Banks faced fresh criticism about their treatment of customers on Friday after the Financial Services Authority said the big four high street banks – Barclays, RBS, Lloyds and HSBC – might need to compensate small business customers.”

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The Guardian, 29th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pressure grows for those involved in interest-rate fixing to be prosecuted – The Independent

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in banking, conspiracy, fraud, inquiries, interest, news, prosecutions by sally

“Pressure was growing yesterday for the bankers involved in interest-rate fixing to face criminal charges.”

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The Independent, 2nd July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK Uncut makes high court challenge to Goldman Sachs tax deal – The Guardian

Posted June 13th, 2012 in banking, interest, judicial review, national insurance, news, tax avoidance by sally

“A deal worth at least £10m between banking giant Goldman Sachs and the head of HM Revenue and Customs is set to be challenged in the high court on Wednesday by tax-avoidance campaign group, UK Uncut Legal Action.”

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The Guardian, 13th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Broken promises? Sale and rent back is no answer to a mortgage – Hardwicke Chambers

“Owner occupiers unable to afford their mortgages have sometimes entered into sale and rent back arrangements (‘SRBs’). Under a SRB, the house is sold, often at a discount, but the vendor remains in occupation under a lease granted by the purchaser. According to a 2008 OFT study, even though SRBs were a relatively new phenomenon there had been about 50,000 of them. At that time the SRB market was unregulated. The FSA began to regulate it in 2009. According to a recent FSA press release, ‘the entire SRB market is temporarily shut’. Nevertheless, it is apparent that many tens of thousands of SRBs must have taken place by now.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 24th May 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Court of Appeal decides interest on costs argument – 4 New Square

Posted February 20th, 2012 in costs, county courts, interest, local government, news by sally

“This morning (16th February 2012) the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the case of Simcoe v Jacuzzi Group UK PLC. The case is, in effect, the appeal against HHJ Stewart QC’s judgment in Gray v Toner (Liverpool County Court, 11th November 2010) and provides the answer to the questions which have bedevilled detailed assessments for the last 18 months or so – from what date does interest on costs usually run and does the fact the Claimant was on a CFA provide a reason to not award interest until the costs are assessed”

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4 New Square, 16th February 2012

Source: www.4newsquare.com