May 2019 Benchmark Fallbacks Consultations

Supplemental Consultation on Spread and Term Adjustments for Fallbacks in Derivatives Referencing USD LIBOR, CDOR and HIBOR and Certain Aspects of Fallbacks for Derivatives Referencing SOR

This consultation sought input on the approach for addressing certain issues associated with adjustments that will apply to alternative risk-free rates (RFRs) if the fallbacks take effect. These adjustments are necessary because of the differences between the interbank offered rates and the RFRs.

The consultation is available here.  A set of graphs provided by Bloomberg to illustrate certain of the options for adjustments under consideration in the consultation is available here.

The deadline for responses to the consultation was July 12, 2019.

Consultation on Pre-Cessation Issues for LIBOR and Certain Other Interbank Offered Rates (IBORs)

This consultation related to pre-cessation issues and seeks comments on how derivatives contracts should address a regulatory announcement that LIBOR or certain other IBORs categorized as critical benchmarks under the EU Benchmarks Regulation are no longer representative of an underlying market.

The consultation is available here.

The deadline for responses to the consultation was July 12, 2019.

A webinar explaining the two consultations and featuring remarks from David Bowman of the US Federal Reserve Board and Edwin Schooling Latter of the UK Financial Conduct Authority is available here.

A recording of a market call answering questions about the two consultations is available here.

Written answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

10 Years of the ISDA SIMM

As the derivatives industry prepared for the September 2016 implementation of initial margin requirements for non-cleared derivatives, one challenge stood out: counterparties needed to agree on the amount of initial margin to be exchanged. But if each firm developed its...

Expanding the Universe of Eligible VM

ISDA conducted a series of interviews with buy- and sell-side firms to understand the drivers of a growing use of non-cash assets as variation margin (VM) for non-cleared over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives and the barriers that remain to expanding the use...

ISDA Response on Hedge Accounting Guidance

On August 14, ISDA responded to an exposure draft from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). ISDA broadly supports the FASB’s proposed targeted improvements to hedge accounting, including allowing interest rate hedging of held-to-maturity (HTM) debt securities, recognizing all Secured...