21. Derivative financial instruments (held for trading)

The Group acquires the derivative financial instruments: currency transactions (spot, forward, currency swap and currency options, CIRS), exchange rate transactions (FRA, IRS, CAP), derivative transactions based on security prices, indices of stocks and commodities. Derivative financial instruments are initially recorded at fair value as at the transaction date and subsequently re-measured at fair value at each balance sheet date. The fair value is established on the basis of market quotations for an instrument traded in an active market, as well as on the basis of valuation techniques, including models using discounted cash flows and options valuation models, depending on which valuation method is appropriate.

Positive valuation of derivative financial instruments is presented in the statement of financial position in the line ‘Derivative financial instruments (held for trading)’ on an asset side, whereas the negative valuation – ‘Derivative financial instruments (held for trading)’ on a liabilities side.

In case of contracts that are not financial instruments with a component of an instrument meeting the above conditions the built-in derivative instrument is classified in accordance with assets or liabilities of derivatives financial instruments with respect to the income statement in accordance with derivative financial instruments valuation principles.

The method of recognition of the changes in the fair value of an instrument depends on whether a derivative instrument is classified as held for trading or is designated as a hedging item under hedge accounting.

The changes in fair value of the derivative financial instruments held for trading are recognized in the income statement.

In its operations the Group uses different financial derivatives that are offered to the clients and are used for managing risks involved in the Bank’s business. The majority of derivatives at the Group include over-the-counter contracts. Regulated stock exchange contracts (mainly futures) represent a small part of those derivatives.

Derivative foreign exchange transactions include the obligation to buy or sell foreign and domestic currency assets. Forward foreign exchange transactions are based on the foreign exchange rates, specified on the transaction date for a predefined future date. These transactions are valued using the discounted cash flow model. Cash flows are discounted according to zero-coupon yield curves, relevant for a given market.

Foreign exchange swaps are a combination of a swap of specific currencies as at spot date and of reverse a transaction as at forward date with foreign exchange rates specified in advance on transaction date. Transactions of such type are settled by an exchange of assets. These transactions are valued using the discounted cash flow model. Cash flows are discounted according to zero-coupon yield curves relevant for a given market.

Foreign exchange options with delivery are defined as contracts, where one of the parties, i.e. the option buyer, purchases from the other party, referred to as the option writer, at a so-called premium price the right without the obligation to buy (call option) or to sell (put option), at a specified point of time in the future or during a specified time range a foreign currency amount specified in the contract at the exchange rate set during the conclusion of the option agreement.

In case of options settled in net amounts, upon acquisition of the rights, the buyer receives an amount of money equal to the product of notional and difference between spot ad strike price.

Barrier option with one barrier is a type of option where exercise of the option depends on the underlying crossing or reaching a given barrier level. A barrier may be reached starting from lower (‘UP’) or from higher (‘DOWN’) level of the underlying instrument. ‘IN’ options start their lives worthless and only become active when a predetermined knock-in barrier price is breached. ‘OUT’ options start their lives active and become null and void when a certain knock-out barrier price is breached.

Foreign exchange options are priced using the Garman-Kohlhagen valuation model (and in case of barrier and Asian options using the so-called expanded Garman-Kohlhagen model). Parameters of the model based on market quotations of plain-vanilla at-the-money options and market spreads for out-of-the-money and in-the-money options (volatility smile) for standard maturities.

Derivatives related to interest rates enable the Group and its customers to transfer, modify or limit interest rate risk.

In the case of Interest Rate Swaps (IRS), counterparties exchange between each other the flows of interest payments, accrued on the nominal amount identified in the contract. These transactions are valued using the discounted cash flow model. Floating (implied) cash flows are estimated on base of respective IRS rates. Floating and fixed cash flows are discounted by relevant zero-coupon yield curves.

Forward Rate Agreements (FRA) involve both parties undertaking to pay interest on a predefined nominal amount for a specified period starting in the future and charged according to the interest rate determined on the day of the agreement The parties settle the transaction on value date using the reference rate as a discount rate in the processof discounting the difference between the FRA rate (forward rate as at transaction date) and the reference rate. These transactions are valued using the discounted cash flow model.

Cross currency IRS involves both parties swapping capital and interest flows in different currencies in a specified period. These transactions are valued using the discounted cash flow model. Valuation of Basis Swap transactions (cross currency IRS with floating coupon) takes into account market quotations of basis spread (Basis swap spread).

In the case of forward transactions on securities, counterparties agree to buy or sell specified securities on a forward date for a payment fixed on the date of transaction. Such transactions are measured based upon the valuation of the security (mark-to-market or mark-to-model) and valuation of the related payment (method of discounting cash flows by money market rate).

Interest rate options (cap/floor) are contracts where one of the parties, the option buyer, purchases from the other party, the option writer, at a so-called premium price, the right without the obligation to borrow (cap) or lend (floor) at specified points of time in the future (independently) amounts specified in the contract at the interest rate set during the conclusion of the option. Contracts are net-settled (without fund location) at agreed time. Transactions of this type are valued using the Normal model (Bachelier model). The model is parameterized based upon market quotations of options as at standard quoted maturities.

Interest rate futures transactions refer to standardized forward contracts purchased on the stock market. Futures contracts are measured based upon quotations available directly from stock exchanges.

Commodity swap contracts are obligations to net settlement equivalent to the execution of a commodity buy or sell transaction at the settlement price according to determination rules set at the trade inception. Commodity instruments are valued with the discounted cash flows method, which includes commodity prices term structure.

Asian commodity options are contracts with the right to buy or sell a certain amount of commodity on a expiry date at the specified price, where settlement price is based on an average level established on the basis of a series of commodity price observations in the period preceding the maturity date of the option. Commodity options are valued with the Black-Scholes model that includes moment matching of commodity price distribution for the arithmetic average.

The Group uses derivatives financial instruments embedded in complex financial instruments, i.e. such as including both a derivative and base agreement, which results in part of the cash flows of the combined instrument changing similarly to cash flows of an independent derivative. Derivatives embedded in other instruments cause part or all cash flows resulting from the base agreement to be modified as per a specific interest rate, price of a security, foreign exchange rate, price index or interest rate index.

The Group has deposits and certificates of deposits on offer which include embedded derivatives. As the nature of such instrument is not strictly associated with the nature of the deposit agreement, the embedded instrument is separated and classified into the portfolio held-for-trading. The valuation of such instrument is recognized in the income statement. Embedded instruments include simple options (plain vanilla) and exotic options for single stocks, commodities, indices and other market indices, including interest rate indices, foreign exchange rates and their related baskets.

All embedded options are immediately closed back-to-back on the interbank market.

Currency options embedded in deposits are valued as other currency options.

Exotic options embedded in deposits as well as their close positions are valued using the Monte-Carlo simulation technique assuming Geometric Brownian Motion model of risk factors. Model parameters are determined first of all on the basis of quoted options and futures contracts  and in their absence based on statistical measures of the underlying instrument dynamic.

Market risk and credit risk are the basic types of risk, associated with derivatives.

At the beginning, financial derivatives usually have a small market value or no market value at all. It is a consequence of the fact that derivatives require no initial net investments, or require a very small net investment compared to other types of contracts, which display a similar reaction to changing market conditions.

Derivatives gain positive or negative value as a result of change in specific interest rates, prices of securities, prices of commodities, currency exchange rates, price index, credit standing or credit index or another market parameter. In case of such changes, the derivatives held become more or less advantageous than instruments with the same residual maturities, available at that moment on the market.

Credit risk related to derivative contracts is a potential cost of concluding a new contract on the original terms and conditions if the other party to the original contract fails to meet its obligations. In order to assess the potential cost of replacement the Group uses the same method as for credit risk assessment. In order to control its credit risk levels the Bank performs assessments of other contract parties using the same methods as for credit decisions.

The following tables present nominal amounts of financial derivatives and fair values of such derivatives. Nominal amounts of certain financial instruments are used for comparison with balance sheet instruments but need not necessarily indicate what the future cash flow amounts will be or what the current fair value of such instruments is and therefore do not reflect the Bank’s credit or price risk level.

Derivative financial instruments are measured at fair value through profit or loss.