(7) Impairment of financial assets
A financial asset not carried at fair value through profit or loss is assessed at each reporting date to determine whether there is objective evidence that it is impaired. A financial asset is impaired if objective evidence indicates that a loss event has occurred after the initial recognition of the asset, and that the loss event had a negative effect on the estimated future cash flows of that asset that can be estimated reliably. However, losses expected as a result of future events, regardless of likelihood, are not recognized.
Objective evidence that a financial asset is impaired includes following loss events:
| • | significant financial difficulty of the issuer or obligor; |
| • | a breach of contract, such as default or delinquency in interest or principal payments; |
| • | the lender, for economic or legal reasons relating to the borrower’s financial difficulty, granting to the borrower a concession that the lender would not otherwise consider; |
| • | it becoming probable that the borrower will enter bankruptcy or other financial reorganization; |
| • | the disappearance of an active market for that financial asset because of financial difficulties; or |
| • | observable data indicating that there is a measurable decrease in the estimated future cash flows from a group of financial assets since the initial recognition of those assets, although the decrease cannot yet be identified with the individual financial assets in the group. |
In addition, for an investment in an equity security, a significant or prolonged decline in its fair value below its cost is objective evidence of impairment.
If financial assets have objective evidence that they are impaired, impairment losses are measured and recognized.
(i) Financial assets measured at amortized cost
An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset measured at amortized cost is calculated as the difference between its carrying amount and the present value of its estimated future cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The Group can recognize impairment losses directly or by establishing an allowance account. If, in a subsequent period, the amount of the impairment loss decreases and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognized (such as an improvement in the debtor’s credit rating), the previously recognized impairment loss is reversed either directly or by adjusting an allowance account.
(ii) Financial assets carried at cost
If there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has occurred on an unquoted equity instrument that is not carried at fair value because its fair value cannot be reliably measured, or on a derivative asset that is linked to and must be settled by delivery of such an unquoted equity instrument, the amount of the impairment loss is measured as the difference between the carrying amount of the financial asset and the present value of estimated future cash flows discounted at the current market rate of return for a similar financial asset. Such impairment losses are not reversed.
(iii) Available-for-sale financial assets
When a decline in the fair value of an available-for-sale financial asset has been recognized in other comprehensive income and there is objective evidence that the asset is impaired, the cumulative loss that had been recognized in other comprehensive income is reclassified from equity to profit or loss as a reclassification adjustment even though the financial asset has not been derecognized. Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for an investment in an equity instrument classified as available-for-sale is not reversed through profit or loss subsequently. If, in a subsequent period, the fair value of a debt instrument classified as available-for-sale increases and the increase can be objectively related to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognized in profit or loss, the impairment loss is reversed, with the amount of the reversal recognized in profit or loss.