SIBOR -
Singapore Interbank Offered RateThe interest rate at which banks located in Asian time zones can borrow funds from other banks located in the region. In Asia, the SIBOR is used more commonly than the LIBOR. It is set daily by the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS). More than anything else, the SIBOR serves as a benchmark, or reference rate for borrowers and lenders that are directly or indirectly involved in an Asian financial market.
Because of its location, political stability, strict legal and regulatory environment as well as the volume of business undertaken in Singapore, the city state is regarded as a major hub of Asian finance. Commonly, very large loans to businesses in the area and interest rate swaps involving businesses participating in the Asian economy will be quoted or denominated in SIBOR plus a number of basis points.
LIBOR -
London Interbank Offered RateAn interest rate at which banks can borrow funds, in marketable size, from other banks in the London interbank market. The LIBOR is fixed on a daily basis by the British Bankers' Association. The LIBOR is derived from a filtered average of the world's most creditworthy banks' interbank deposit rates for larger loans with maturities between overnight and one full year.
The LIBOR is the world's most widely used benchmark for short-term interest rates. It's important because it is the rate at which the world's most preferred borrowers are able to borrow money. It is also the rate upon which rates for less preferred borrowers are based. For example, a multinational corporation with a very good credit rating may be able to borrow money for one year at LIBOR plus four or five points.
Countries that rely on the LIBOR for a reference rate include the United States, Canada, Switzerland and the U.K
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