Barclays, RBS and other banks face £1bn forex rigging lawsuit
Sean Farrell, 29 July 2019
Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and three other banks are being sued by investors for at least £1bn over rigging of the foreign exchange market in a test case for US-style class actions in the UK.
A US law firm that specialises in stock market litigation has filed the claim at the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The claim also targets US investment banks JP Morgan and Citigroup, and Switzerland’s UBS. The legal action follows the European commission’s decision in May to fine five banks more than €1bn (£910m) for colluding to reduce competition in markets for 11 currencies, including the US dollar, the euro and the pound.
Cartels of traders with names such as the “Three-Way Banana Split” operated on chatrooms to rig the multitrillion-dollar foreign exchange market. UBS, which informed the commission about the collusion, was not fined but Japan’s MUFG received a penalty.
Scott + Scott, the law firm representing investors, said Barclays, RBS, JP Morgan, Citi and UBS had been fined more than $8.5bn by regulators globally over foreign exchange manipulation. The firm secured more than $2.3bn compensation in a US class action suit from banks including Barclays, RBS, UBS and Deutsche Bank.
The claim, led by Michael O’Higgins, the former chair of the Pensions Regulator, seeks compensation for investors and companies allegedly damaged by the banks’ actions. O’Higgins has instructed Scott + Scott to carry out work on the case.
