BoE Propose Revisions for Interbank Lending Benchmark Rate

The Bank of England re-evaluated its proposal to revise the lending rate benchmark for interbank exchange to prevent manipulation of reference point for financial contracts. Also, they intend to put on hold the changes between March and April next year, instead for this year.

In particular, they will change the procedure and apply the “trimmed mean” approach for calculating the Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA) which is used alternatively for some contracts with the global London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). An estimated total of $450 trillion contracts were affected by the market scandal which BoE takes responsibility.