Note 5

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised in the balance sheet at the date when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. A financial asset is derecognised when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire, or the company transfers the financial asset in such a way that risk and profit potential of the financial asset is substantially transferred. Financial liabilities are derecognised from the date when the rights to the contractual provisions have been extinguished, cancelled or expired.

CLASSIFICATION
The Group’s portfolio of financial instruments is at initial recognition classified in accordance with IAS 39. The bank’s classes of financial instruments and the measurement basis for these are the following:

• Financial assets and derivatives held for trading (trading portfolio)

• Financial assets and liabilities assessed at fair value, any changes in value recognised through profit or loss

• Instruments held as available for sale, assessed at fair value, any changes in value recognised in other comprehensive income

• Loans and receivables

• Financial liabilities assessed at amortised cost

Financial assets and derivatives held for trading
Financial derivatives are contracts signed to mitigate an existing interest rate or currency risk incurred by the bank. Financial derivatives are recognized at fair value through profit or loss and recognized gross pr. contract as an asset or liability.

The Group's criteria for classification of the trading portfolio are the following:

• Positions in financial instruments held for the Group’s own account for the purpose of selling and/or financial instruments acquired by the Group in order to take advantage on a short-term basis of any actual and/or expected differences between purchase- and sale prices or any other price- and interest rate fluctuations.

• Positions held by the Group in order to hedge other parts of the trading portfolio

• Other commitments which are related to positions which form part of the trading portfolio

The Group’s trading portfolio of shares is defined within this group and is assessed at fair value through profit or loss.

Financial assets and liabilities assessed at fair value, any changes in value recognised through profit or loss
The Group's portfolio of bonds in the liquidity portfolio is classified at fair value through profit or loss as this portfolio is managed based on fair value. The Group’s portfolio of fixed interest rate loans and deposits are classified to avoid accounting mismatch in relation to the underlying interest rate swaps.

Losses and gains as a result of value changes of those assets and liabilities which are assessed at fair value, with any value changes being recognised in the profit and loss account, are included in the accounts during the period in which they occur.

Instruments held as available for sale, assessed at fair value, any changes in value recognised in other comprehensive income
The Group’s portfolio of shares, which are not classified as held for trading, are classified as available for sale, with any value changes shown in other comprehensive income. Realised gains and losses, as well as impairment below cost, are recognised in the profit and loss account during the period in which they occur.

The Group`s owner interest in Visa Norway FLI is classified as a financial asset in the category available for sale in level three in the valuation hierarchy. The change in value of this asset is recognized in other comprehensive income.

Loans and receivables
All loans and receivables, including leasing, but with the exception of fixed interest rate loans, are assessed at amortised cost, based on expected cash flows. The difference between the issue cost of the securities and the settlement amount at maturity, is amortised over the lifetime of the loan.

Financial liabilities assessed at amortised cost
Debt securities, including debt securities included in fair value hedging, loans and deposits from credit institutions and deposits from customers without agreed maturity, are valued at amortised cost based on expected cash flows. The portfolio of own bonds is shown in the accounts as a reduction of the debt.

LEVELS IN THE VALUATION HIERARCHY
Financial instruments are classified into different levels based on the quality of market data for each type of instrument.

Level 1 – Valuation based on prices in an active market
Level 1 comprises financial instruments valued by using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. This category includes listed shares and mutual funds, as well as bonds and certificates traded in active markets.

Level 2 – Valuation based on observable market data
Level 2 comprises financial instruments valued by using information which is not quoted prices, but where prices are directly or indirectly observable for assets or liabilities, including quoted prices in inactive markets for identical assets or liabilities. This category mainly includes debt securities issued, derivatives and bonds which are not included in level 1.

Level 3 – Valuation based on other than observable market data
Level 3 comprises financial instruments which can not be valued based on directly or indirectly observable prices. This category mainly includes loans to and deposits from customers, as well as shares.