| 2.5) | CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (note 8) |
The balance in this caption is comprised of available amounts of cash and cash equivalents, mainly represented by highly-liquid short-term investments, which are readily convertible into known amounts of cash, and which are not subject to significant risks of changes in their values, including overnight investments, which yield fixed returns and have maturities of less than three months from the investment date. These fixed-income investments are recorded at cost plus accrued interest. Accrued interest is included in the income statement as part of “Financial income and other items, net.”
The amount of cash and cash equivalents in the statement of financial position includes restricted cash and investments, comprised of deposits in margin accounts that guarantee certain of CEMEX’s obligations, to the extent that the restriction will be lifted in less than three months from the statement of financial position reporting date. When the restriction period is greater than three months, such restricted cash and investments are not considered cash equivalents and are included within short-term or long-term “Other accounts receivable,” as appropriate. When contracts contain provisions for net settlement, these restricted amounts of cash and cash equivalents are offset against the liabilities that CEMEX has with its counterparties.