Deutsche widens rate probe after discovering chatroom

Deutsche Bank has widened an internal probe into possible manipulation of the Libor benchmark interest rate after discovering a new chatroom where traders may have colluded, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

Another source said Deutsche had summoned around 50 employees for questioning as a result of the discovery. The bank declined to comment.

More than a dozen banks and brokerage firms, including JP Morgan and Citigroup, are being investigated by regulators over the possible manipulation of benchmark interest rates — including the London interbank offered rate, known as Libor — which are used to price trillions of dollars’ worth of loans.