14 Derivative financial instruments

Interest rate swaps are concluded to hedge against interest rate fluctuation risks. In addition, derivative financial instruments are employed primarily within the scope of client business. In this case, both standardised and OTC derivatives are traded. International banks having a high creditworthiness serve as counterparties. LLB does not assume a market-maker role on the interbank market. The tables in this note contain information about the nominal value (contract volume), about the replacement values and about the hedge accounting positions.

Within the scope of fair value hedge accounting, the LLB Group employs interest rate swaps for interest rate risks on fixed-rate instruments. Ineffectiveness in highly effective hedge accounting positions occurs as a result of small mismatches in the risk profile, for example, differing payment dates or divergences in the term of the instruments amounting to a few days. Furthermore, different sensitivities in the underlying transactions and hedging instruments play a role, for example, major changes in the value of the front leg of the swap, for which there is no corresponding sensitivity in the underlying transaction. There are basic risks, which could have an influence on the effectiveness, such as different benchmark curves for the underlying and hedging transactions. In general, the LLB Group uses identical benchmark curves, however special situations such as the IBOR changeover could mean that a different approach is taken. Since the LLB Group utilises a macro hedge accounting concept, mortgage loans, medium-term notes and shares in bond issues of the Swiss Regional or Cantonal Banksʼ Central Bond Institutions represent the whole population of possible hedge accounting transactions. The population corresponds to the carrying amounts of the balance sheet items of the hedged items. Of these, only a portion is designated in the hedge accounting relationship. The designation between underlying transaction and hedging instrument is carried out with the aid of an optimisation algorithm, which determines the interest risk profile of the sub-portfolios in order to attain an optimal hedge allocation.