The authors look at the progress made to date by the UK government in implementing climate-related disclosure rules and consider the preparatory steps that organisations should take ahead of the inevitable introduction of additional disclosure requirements.
19 March 2024In this In Practice article the authors consider the steps for financial institutions to consider when developing a new AI strategy.
19 March 2024The policy statement and final guidance on the consumer duty published on 27 July 2022 by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) set out a new Principle for Business for regulated firms, new cross-cutting rules and detailed expected outcomes that these rules and the new principle should have on retail customers (together the “Duty”). The Duty has multiple implementation stages with the key dates being: (i) 31 July 2023, when the Duty will apply to all new products and services and existing products and services that are open to sale or renewal; and (ii) 31 July 2024, when the Duty will extend to all closed products and services. This article explores some practical considerations for FCA regulated investors in asset backed financings (Investors) of products offered to retail customers when determining whether the Duty applies to them.
19 March 2024This In Practice article explains the differences between Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions as key performance indicators (KPIs) and sustainability performance targets (SPTs) in sustainability-linked loans and then explores factors to consider when adopting Scope 3 emissions.
19 March 2024LIBOR cessation and contract continuity may seem like “old news”. After all, most LIBOR rates ceased almost 18 months ago – and the last of the “synthetic” rates created for certain Sterling and Japanese Yen tenors will shortly expire. Nonetheless, the impending cessation of the final USD LIBOR panel rates on 30 June 2023 means that questions on legal implications are once again coming to the fore – especially given the FCA’s announced intention to create a time-limited synthetic USD LIBOR rate. This piece provides a brief Q&A refresher.
19 March 2024In March (2023) 3 JIBFL 190, we discussed some of the challenges in providing sustainable finance products to consumers from the perspective of revenue-based finance; an embedded finance offering. Namely, there is a balance to strike between: (i) speed and automation; and (ii) positive customer outcomes. On 16 March 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a Dear CEO letter (Letter), addressed to payment firms supervised by the FCA within its payments portfolio, highlighting concerns that certain payment firms are not currently striking this balance. For embedded finance, the Letter will primarily impact providers that offer embedded banking services (if they are supervised payment firms), but it may have a wider impact across the industry.
19 March 2024This snapshot indicates how reforms proposed under the UK Wholesale Markets Review (WMR) will be implemented and also compares proposals with EU measures.
19 March 2024In this article the authors consider the key issues and challenges which remain for buy-side entities following the final phase-in of initial margin requirements under EMIR and UK EMIR.
19 March 2024In this In Practice article, leading UK and international legal authority on Islamic financial law, Professor Lu’ayy Al-Rimawi explains why Islamic banks in the UK need to eschew legal wizardry and do considerably more to ensure their mortgages are cost-effective.
19 March 2024On 25 January 2023, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a far-reaching rule (Rule 192)11 to prohibit securitisation transactions involving or resulting in a material conflict of interest between certain securitisation participants and investors. The rule is required by s 27B of the Securities Act,122 as inserted by s 621 of the Dodd-Frank Act.233 In this In Practice article the authors consider the impact of Rule 192 on UK and EU CLO managers. 3
19 March 2024