| s. | Capitalization of borrowing costs: |
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of qualifying assets are capitalized to the cost of those assets. A qualifying asset is an asset that necessarily takes a substantial period of time to get it ready for its intended use or sale. Investment income earned on the temporary investment of specific borrowings pending their expenditure on qualifying assets is deducted from the borrowing costs eligible for capitalization.
Borrowing costs qualified for capitalization include mainly: Interest expenses and amortization of cost of raising debt.
Capitalization of borrowing costs to qualifying assets commences when the Group starts the activities for the preparation of the asset for its intended use or sale and continues, generally, until the completion of substantially all the activities necessary to prepare the asset for its designated use or sale (i.e. when the commercial center is ready for lease).
In certain cases, the Group ceases to capitalize borrowing cost if management decides that the asset can no longer be defined as a “qualifying asset”. In other circumstances, capitalization is suspended for certain time periods, generally where the efforts to develop a project are significantly diminished due to inter-alia lack of external finance, or ongoing difficulties in obtaining permits. The conclusions whether an asset is qualified for capitalization or not, or whether capitalization is to be suspended, are also dependent on management plans with regard to the specific asset, such as the ability to raise bank loans, find anchors and local market conditions that support or postpone the construction of the project.