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Libor Transition: Staying ahead of the curve

Since 2008, the growing scarcity of transactions in the unsecured market and the reluctance for banks to participate due to scandal, have called into question LIBOR’s status as a global benchmark rate.

I hope it is already clear that the discontinuation of LIBOR should not be considered a remote probability. 

Andrew Bailey, Chief Executive of Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority

London Calling

Interbank offered rates (IBORs) play a central role in financial markets. The Federal Reserve estimates approximately $200 Trillion in assets are tied to USD LIBOR alone. They are imbedded into all functions of the financial markets from valuation, to performance and risk management. However, since 2008, the growing scarcity of transactions in the unsecured market and the reluctance for banks to participate due to scandal, have called into question LIBOR’s status as a global benchmark rate. Subsequently, the Head of Britain’s financial markets regulator (FCA) announced last year that the FCA would no longer compel banks to submit rates used to calculate LIBOR beyond 2021. Panel banks can continue to submit rates on a voluntary basis but will be under no obligation to do so.

Global regulators favor the transition from IBORs to risk free rates (RFRs). RFRs are based on actual transaction data, as opposed to quotes from participating banks. The specifics associated with RFRs will vary globally by jurisdiction. In the United States, the Alternative Reference Rate Committee (“ARRC”), a consortium of fifteen banks, voted to replace the USD LIBOR with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The ARRC has adopted a paced transition plan which outlines key steps and timelines to promote the voluntary adoption of SOFR and the gradual sunsetting of LIBOR. In response, the CME Group launched 3-month and 1-month SOFR futures contract trading on May 7,2018.

Industry Drivers

Manipulation and Reform

LIBOR moved into the crosshairs as multiple global banks were accused of manipulating the market. Evidence suggests rampant misconduct was present since at least 2005. In an effort to restore its credibility, LIBOR supervision was delivered to the ICE Benchmark Administration. Despite regulators best efforts, less than desirable conditions continue to persist in the market as banks are reluctant to participate in the absence of observable transactions.

Liquidity

According to ARRC, the number of banks submitting to USD LIBOR is approximately half the number of global systemically important banks. This, in combination with declining observable transactions, results in a massive imbalance in the volume between the nearly $200 Trillion in products referencing LIBOR and the underlying unsecured lending markets. SOFR, the new alternative rate for USD LIBOR, is underpinned by $754B in daily volume compared to an estimated $500M for 3-month LIBOR. 

Financial Stability

The official sector has had to support LIBOR because most contracts did not envision the possibility that LIBOR could ever stop publication. [2] A Federal Reserve study found that SOFR rates (3-month compounded average) proved less volatile than 3-month LIBOR during back testing.
 

“Zombie” LIBOR

There is a growing concern that even if LIBOR continues to be published, the rate will not accurately reflect industry borrowing costs. As such, contract language should include fallback triggers that invoke the use of an alternative rate in the event panel bank submissions decline further.

Key Challenges

Determination of credit spread

Firms will need to determine a new fair and compensating credit spread between LIBOR and SOFR for affected products. There is no perfect spread adjustment, and while each participant can seek to minimize valuation changes, it is not possible for any of the potential contractual fallbacks to guarantee that there will be no valuation change. Additionally, hedging LIBOR based products with SOFR will also create unwanted basis risk.

Market adoption and liquidity

To encourage a voluntary adoption of SOFR and a gradual sunsetting of LIBOR, market participants must commit to building liquidity in SOFR Futures contracts. This is an especially important step in curve construction. New products utilizing SOFR as a benchmark will also need to be manufactured for end users.

Client communication and changes to contract language

LIBOR has been deeply embedded in financial markets for decades and is used to set rates for hundreds of trillions of dollars of ARMs, loans, bonds, derivatives (OTC and Listed) and other securitized products. The sweeping task will be to amend the reference rate in existing contracts. Participants must communicate with clients and consider proactively repositioning trades to reference the new RFR to avoid litigation risk

Building a new term structure

The new benchmark’s overnight maturity does not align with the most popular maturities - one and three months - that investors now use when locking in rates. A forward-looking term structure will be developed for those cash products with an appetite for term SOFR. In the meantime, the Federal Reserve Bank is going to publish a compound average of SOFR to encourage broader usage.

Valuation and risk modeling

All pricing, risk and valuation models will need to be changed to reflect the new rate. Banks will have to model three (3) curves during the transition - LIBOR, the RFR and OIS - and the basis between each pair. Operationally, the transformation will require changes to IT and reporting systems, as well as additional databases.

Technology and Operations impact

A diagnostic will be required to determine the scope of control. The transition will affect operations across the entire bank including risk, valuation control and collateral management, margining and settlement. A comprehensive data mapping exercise will need to be completed to determine all references to LIBOR. Applications and processes will need to be adjusted accordingly

Sia Partners Can Assist

The transition from LIBOR will require a vast amount of work with unprecedented ramifications. Sia Partners stands ready to assist in all phases of this sweeping change.

Governance

• Establish ownership at the C-Suite Level
• Engage stakeholders across the enterprise
• Work with business lines to develop project plans and milestones
• Engage industry and regulatory groups to monitor key industry issues

Communication

• Develop internal communication strategy across product lines
• Begin client outreach to educate clients on effects of transition
• Document client needs and outline the advantages/disadvantages and decisions that will need to be made for use of IBOR vs. RFRs

Impact Assessment

• Inventory all products and functions with exposure to IBOR
• Calculate financial exposure to IBORs across business lines
• Assess operational risks, affected processes, data structure issues and technology impacts

Transition Roadmap

Develop a detailed Implementation Plan that will contemplate:
1. Amending contracts
2. Adjustments to hedges
3. Evaluating business risk
4. Changes to infrastructure
5. External dependencies

Product Development

• Understand the products that will be required for the successful adoption of RFRs
• Design and supply those products to the market
• Updates systems and processes for those new products

Capability