Fair value measurement

Accounting policy

All assets and liabilities presented as Equities, Bonds, Financial derivatives, Secured lending and borrowing and Deposits in banks are measured at fair value through profit or loss in the balance sheet.

Fair value, as defined by IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement, is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

1. Introduction

Fair value for the vast majority of assets and liabilities is based on quoted market prices or observable market data. If the market is not active, fair value is established by using standard valuation techniques. Estimating fair value may be complex and require the use of judgement, in particular when observable inputs are not available. The valuation risk addressed by the control environment at Norges Bank, which is responsible for fair value measurement.

2. The fair value hierarchy

All securities in the foreign exchange reserves are measured at fair value. The securities have been classified in the fair value hierarchy presented in Table 6.1. The classification is determined by

• Level 1 comprises assets that are valued on based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and are considered to have very limited valuation uncertainty. An active market is a market in which transactions take place with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

• Assets and liabilities classified as Level 2 are valued using models with inputs that are either directly or indirectly observable. Inputs are considered observable when they are developed using market data reflecting actual events or transactions.

• Assets classified as Level 3 are valued using models with considerable use of unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs are inputs for which market data are not available and that are developed using the best information available about the assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset.

An overview of models and valuation techniques with their respective observable and unobservable inputs, categorised by type of instrument, is provided in Section 4 of this note.

Significant estimate

Level 3 investments consist of instruments measured at fair value that are not traded or quoted in active markets. Fair value is determined using valuation techniques that use models with significant use of unobservable inputs. A considerable degree of judgement is applied in determining the assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability, when observable market data are not available.

102 - Financial statements

Table 6.1 Foreign exchange reserves investments by level of valuation uncertainty

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total

Amounts in NOK millions 31 Dec. 2021 31 Dec. 2020 31 Dec. 2021 31 Dec. 2020 31 Dec. 2021 31 Dec. 2020 31 Dec. 2021 31 Dec. 2020

Equities 121 474 118 810 495 521 - - 121 969 119 331

1 Other comprises other assets and liabilities limited to money market instruments, including reverse repurchase agreements, deposits in banks, short-term borrowing, unsettled trades and other assets and liabilities..

The majority of foreign exchange reserves is associated with low valuation risk and are classified as Level 1. At year-end 2021, 99.6 percent of equity holdings and 97.9 percent of bond holdings are classified as Level 1, and valuation is thus based on quoted market prices. The valuation uncertainty

for the foreign exchange reserves increased somewhat compared with year-end 2020. This is due to somewhat lower activity volume for some bonds and an increase in money market instruments in the petroleum buffer portfolio.

Accounting policy

Transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy are deemed to take place at the beginning of the reporting period.

3. Movements between levels in the hierarchy There have been no substantial movements between levels in the fair value hierarchy.

4. Valuation techniques

Norges Bank has defined hierarchies for which price sources are to be used for valuation. Holdings that are included in the benchmark indices are normally valued in accordance with the index providers’ prices, while the remaining

holdings of equities and bonds are valued almost exclusively using prices from other reputable external price providers.

For equities and derivatives traded in active markets (Level 1), the close price is used. For bonds traded in active markets, the bid price is generally used.

The next section sets out the valuation techniques used for equities and bonds classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Equities (Level 2)

Equities that are valued based on models with observable inputs provided by vendors are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. These holdings are not traded in active

markets and include listed shares in companies where trading has been suspended. The valuation models take into account various observable market inputs, such as the price of comparable equity quotes, last traded price and volume..

Bonds (Level 2)

Bonds classified as Level 2 are valued based on observable market inputs from comparable issues, in addition to direct indicative or binding quotes. These holdings usually consist of less liquid bonds than those classified as Level 1, i.e.

where there is not an activity volume for binding trades and a low activity volume for indicative price quotes at the measurement date.

5. Control environment

The control environment for fair value measurement is organised around a formalised and documented valuation policy and guidelines, which are supported by work and control procedures. The portfolios managed by Norges Bank Markets and ICT contain only liquid government securities, where valuation risk is very low. Any questions are discussed by a separate management committee.

The valuation environment has been adapted in accordance with market standards and established practices for

valuation. This is implemented in practice in the form of daily valuation of all holdings. These processes are scalable to market changes and are based on internal and external data solutions.

All holdings and investments are generally valued by external, independent price providers. They have been chosen on the basis of analyses performed by the Norges Bank units responsible for valuation.

Price providers are monitored on an ongoing basis through regular discussions, controls and price challenges for individual securities. For a large portion of holdings, prices from independent price providers are based on quoted market prices. For holdings that are not sufficiently liquid for valuation to be based on quoted prices, widely accepted models are used. Observable inputs are used where possible, but in some cases, owing to illiquid markets, unobservable inputs are used.

The valuation process is subject on a daily basis to numerous controls by the valuation departments. Controls are based on defined thresholds and sensitivities, which are monitored and adjusted in accordance with prevailing market conditions. At each month-end, more extensive controls are performed to ensure valuation in accordance with fair value.

In NBIM, valuation memos and reports are prepared at each quarter-end, documenting the results of the controls performed and the most important sources of uncertainties in the valuations.

The NBIM investment meeting, which includes NBIM’s leader group, meets every quarter prior to the publication of the financial reporting. The committee reviews the

documentation, discusses major pricing issues and approves the valuation.

6. Other investments

Norges Bank holds equity investments other than the foreign exchange reserves. These are investments undertaken by Norges Bank in its role as Norway’s central bank of Norway to preserve Norway’s international obligations in this area. The obligations involve long-term commitments that do not have economic gain as an objective and are not, by their nature, financial investments.

The shares in the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) are valued at NOK 200m and would have been allocated to Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. Valuation is uncertain owing to a lack of activity in the market. These shares are valued using models that use a substantial degree of non-observable inputs.

7. Classification of financial instruments

Financial assets are classified in three measurement categories: fair value through profit or loss (designated or mandatory), fair value through other comprehensive income (OCI) and amortised cost. The measurement category is determined at initial recognition of the asset.

Financial obligations shall generally be measure at amortised cost, except for financial derivatives measured at fair value through profit or loss.

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Table 6.2 Classification of financial instruments

Fair value through profit or loss 31 Dec. 2021

Amounts in NOK millions Designated Mandatory Amortised cost Total