February 2014

Earlier this year, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had met its initial obligations under the Joint Plan of Action (Joint Plan) with the “P5+1” (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany). Iran’s suspension of sensitive nuclear activities triggered temporary relaxation of certain sanctions, but most restrictions and an aggressive enforcement climate remain in place. The US government has cautioned that the sanctions relief is “limited, temporary, targeted, and reversible.”

Limited…

This month, the UK Financial Conduct Authority formally authorised ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (IBA) to assume responsibility for the administration of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).

IBA is a subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange Group, a leading global network of exchanges and clearing houses that administers other benchmarks such as the French CAC40 and the Dutch AEX.

Guided by the Wheatley Review

The authorisation of IBA to administer LIBOR reflects one of the key recommendations of the Wheatley…