3 banks face rate-fixing charges
Print Edition
EUROPEAN Union antitrust regulators charged Europe’s biggest bank HSBC, United States peer JPMorgan and France’s Credit Agricole yesterday with rigging financial benchmarks linked to the euro, exposing them to potential fines.
The European Commission also said it would charge broker ICAP soon for suspected manipulation of the yen Libor financial benchmark.
US and European regulators have so far handed down some US$6 billion in fines to 10 banks and brokerages for rigging the London interbank offered rate (Libor) and its euro cousin Euribor while prosecutors have also charged 16 men with fraud-related offenses.
“The Commission has concerns that the three banks may have taken part in a collusive scheme which aimed at distorting the normal course of pricing components for euro interest rate derivatives,” the EU competition authority said.
The banks and ICAP, which refused to settle the case in December, could face penalties of up to 10 percent of their global turnover if found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules.
JPMorgan said the EU charges were without merit and that it would defend itself while Credit Agricole said it would examine the charge sheet. HSBC said it would defend itself vigorously.
In December, a record 1.7-billion-euro (US$2.3 billion) fine was levied on six banks, including Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Citigroup, for similar offenses. The lenders settled their charges and got a 10 percent cut in their fines.
Asked about the Libor probe against ICAP, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said: “In the coming days or weeks, we will probably issue a new statement of objections against the broker.”
ICAP, the world’s largest interdealer broker, declined to comment.
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