| 3.17 | Derivative financial instruments |
The Group entered into a variety of derivative financial instruments to manage its exposure to interest rates and foreign exchange rate risks, including agreements for foreign exchange hedge agreements, interest rate swaps and foreign exchange swaps.
Derivatives had been initially recognized at fair value at the date the derivative contracts are entered into and were subsequently remeasured to their fair value at the end of each fiscal year. The resulting gain or loss has been recognized in profit or loss immediately, except in cases where the derivative was appointed and was effective as a hedging instrument, in which event the timing of the recognition in profit or loss depends on the nature of the hedge relationship.
The Group has agreements designated as cash flow hedges. The resulting gain or loss from contracts in force determined as effective hedging during the year has been recognized directly in other comprehensive income.
Derivatives embedded in non-derivative host contracts are treated as separate derivatives when they meet the definition of a derivative, their risks and characteristics are not closely related to those of the host contracts and the contracts are not measured at FVTPL.
Hedge accounting
The Group designates certain hedging instruments, which include derivatives, embedded derivatives and non- derivatives in respect of foreign currency risk, as either fair value hedges, cash flow hedges, or hedges of net investments in foreign operations. Hedges of foreign exchange risk on firm commitments are accounted for as cash flow hedges.
At the inception of the hedge relationship, the entity documents the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item, along with its risk management objectives and its strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. Furthermore, at the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis, the Group documents whether the hedging instrument is highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk.
Note 33 sets out details of the fair values of the derivative instruments used for hedging purposes. During 2017 and 2016 the Group has only entered into “Cash flow hedges”.
Cash flow hedges
The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated under the heading of cash flow hedging reserve. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognized immediately in profit or loss, and is included in the ‘other gains and losses’ line item.
Amounts previously recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are reclassified to profit or loss in the periods when the hedged item affects profit or loss, in the same line as the recognized hedged item. However, when the hedged forecast transaction results in the recognition of a non-financial asset or a non-financial liability, the gains and losses previously recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are transferred from equity and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the non-financial asset or non-financial liability.
Hedge accounting is discontinued when the Group revokes the hedging relationship, when the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated, or exercised, or when it no longer qualifies for hedge accounting. Any gain or loss recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity at that time remains in equity and is recognized when the forecast transaction is ultimately recognized in profit or loss. When a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, the gain or loss accumulated in equity is recognized immediately in profit or loss, if any.