2.7 Available-for-sale financial assets

Management determines the classification of financial assets on the date of acquisition, depending on the purpose for which the investments are acquired.

Financial assets that are intended to be held indefinitely and that could be sold for liquidity purposes or in response to changes in interest rates, exchange rates or share prices are classified as available for sale.

Available-for-sale financial assets are initially recognised at fair value, including transaction costs, based on quoted bid prices or values derived from cash flow models. The fair values of unlisted equity instruments are estimated based on appropriate price/earnings ratios, adjusted to reflect the specific circumstances of the respective issuers. Any unrealised gains and losses from changes in the fair value of available-for-sale financial assets are recognised in equity unless they relate to amortised interest. If such financial assets are disposed of, the adjustments to fair value are recognised in profit or loss.

At each reporting date, management assesses whether there are objective indications of impairment of available-for-sale assets. Examples of objective evidence for value adjustments are:

• significant financial difficulties on the part of the issuer;
• default in making interest and/or redemption payments;
• the disappearance of active markets for the financial asset caused by financial difficulties.

Equity instruments are impaired if their cost permanently exceeds their recoverable amount, i.e. their fair value is permanently or significantly lower than their cost. The recoverable amount of investments in unlisted equity instruments is determined using approved valuation methods, whereas the recoverable amount of listed financial assets is determined on the basis of market value. Impairment of equity instruments is never subsequently reversed through profit or loss.

Debt instruments are impaired if there are objective indications that the fair value has decreased to such a degree that no reasonable assumptions can be made that the value will recover to carrying amount in the foreseeable future.

In the event of impairment, the cumulative loss is determined by the difference between cost and current fair value, less any previously recognised impairment transferred from the revaluation reserve in equity to profit or loss. If the impairment of a debt instrument diminishes in a subsequent period and the diminution can be objectively attributed to an event that occurred after the impairment, the impairment is reversed through profit or loss.

All purchases and sales made in accordance with standard market conventions for available-for-sale financial assets are recognised at the transaction date. All other purchases and sales are recognised at the settlement date.