ING Direct 2015 Annual Report Download - page 117

Contents
Who we are
Report of the
Management
Board
Corporate
Governance
Consolidated
annual accounts
Parent company
annual accounts
Other
information
Additional
information
Notes to the Consolidated annual accounts of ING Bank - continued
Credit spreads
Credit spread is the premium above a benchmark interest rate, typically LIBOR or relevant Treasury instrument, required by the
market participant to accept a lower credit quality. Higher credit spreads indicate lower credit quality and a lower value of an asset.
Volatility
Volatility is a measure for variation of the price of a financial instrument or other valuation input over time. Volatility is one of the key
inputs in option pricing models. Typically, the higher the volatility, the higher value of the option. Volatility varies by the underlying
reference (equity, commodity, foreign currency and interest rates), by strike and maturity of the option. The minimum level of
volatility is 0% and there is no theoretical maximum.
Correlation
Correlation is a measure of dependence between two underlying references which is relevant in derivatives and other instruments
which have more than one underlying reference. For example, correlation between underlying equity names may be a relevant input
parameter for basket equity option pricing models. High positive correlation (close to 1) indicates strong positive relationship between
underlyings, implying they typically move in the same direction. High negative correlation, on the other hand, implies that underlyings
typically move in opposite directions.
Interest rates
Prepayment rate and reset spread are key inputs to mortgage linked prepayments swaps valuation. Prepayment rate is the estimated
rate at which mortgage borrowers will repay their mortgages early, e.g. 5% per year. Reset spread is the future spread at which
mortgages will re-price at interest rate reset dates.
Inflation rate is a key input to inflation linked instruments. Inflation linked instruments protect against price inflation and are
denominated and indexed to investment units. Interest payments would be based on the inflation index and nominal rate in order to
receive/pay the real rate of return. A rise in nominal coupon payments is a result of an increase in inflation expectations, real rates, or
both. As markets for these inflation linked derivatives are illiquid, the valuation parameters become unobservable.
Dividend yield
Dividend yield is an important input for equity option pricing models showing how much dividends a company pays out each year
relative to its share price. Dividend yields are generally expressed as an annualised percentage of share price.
Sensitivity analysis of unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Where the fair value of a financial instrument is determined using inputs which are unobservable and which have a more than
insignificant impact on the fair value of the instrument the actual value of those inputs at the balance date may be drawn from a
range of reasonably possible alternatives. In line with market practice the upper and lower bounds of the range of alternative input
values reflect a 90% level of valuation certainty. The actual levels chosen for the unobservable inputs in preparing the financial
statements are consistent with the valuation methodology used for fair valued financial instruments.
If ING had used input values from the upper and lower bound of this range of reasonable possible alternative input values when
valuing these instruments as of 31 December 2015, then the impact would have been higher or lower as indicated below. The purpose
of this disclosure is to present the possible impact of a change of unobservable inputs in the fair value of financial instruments where
unobservable inputs are significant to the valuation.
As ING has chosen to apply a 90% confidence level already for its IFRS-EU valuation of fair valued financial instruments as of end of
2014, the downward valuation uncertainty has become immaterial, whereas the potential upward valuation uncertainty, reflecting a
potential profit, has increased. Specifically for the AFS Equity positions the upward valuation uncertainty decreased.
For more detail on the valuation of fair valued instruments, refer to the section ‘Risk Management – Market risk’, paragraph Fair values
of financial assets and liabilities in this document.
Valuation uncertainty in practice is measured and managed per exposure to individual valuation inputs (i.e. risk factors) at portfolio
level across different product categories. Where the disclosure looks at individual Level 3 inputs the actual valuation adjustments may
also reflect the benefits of portfolio offsets.
Because of the approach taken, the valuation uncertainty in the table below is broken down by related risk class rather than by
product.
In reality some valuation inputs are interrelated and it would be unlikely that all unobservable inputs would ever be simultaneously at
the limits of their respective ranges of reasonably possible alternatives. Therefore it can be assumed that the estimates in the table
below show a greater fair value uncertainty than the realistic position at year end.
ING Bank Annual Report 2015 115