Those included further wild swings in the value of the British pound, which had already been volatile in the lead-up to the 6 May general election. It fell 2.2% on the day of the vote, its worst day in over a year, illustrating how concerned traders were about the risk of a hung parliament and political instability. On the day of Mandelson's apparent tip-off to Epstein, the pound rose by more than two cents to $1.505,
"The evidence that the defendants acted dishonestly over the course of the procurement process is overwhelming," Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden said in his ruling. The judge said insider information that Georgiou provided to Aquino via secret emails was "confidential, highly material and obviously intended to assist Bondfield to win the procurement. That conduct would be recognized as objectively dishonest in any circumstances, but when seen in the context of a strictly regulated public procurement, it is unmistakable."