As you know, the LIBOR transition topic is evolving on an almost daily basis. Earlier this week, the FASB approved the finalization of guidance to assist entities with the transition away from LIBOR. The new Accounting Standards Update (ASU), which is expected to be issued in early 2020, will include optional expedients and exceptions to accounting guidance.
How and why companies hedge foreign currency risk depends on factors such as the industry, risk management acumen and management team perspective. But most public corporations do hedge their FX risk for one reason or another.
What’s the Issue? Britain is ending support of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) on or about 2021. US regulators currently plan to replace LIBOR with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) curve. The pending “Illiquid LIBOR Market” and related lack of transparency will render valuations of LIBOR priced instruments troublesome.
LIBOR has been referred to as the plumbing buried in many financial contracts, and the end of LIBOR will cause a seismic shift in the financial markets.
If you use Hedge Trackers’ Outsourcing and/or Software suite (Capella) services, you might be wondering what’s going to happen when interest rate reform occurs and SOFR replaces LIBOR in early 2021.