Fair Value Option

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

We report our results to HSBC in accordance with HSBC Group accounting and reporting policies ("Group Reporting Basis"), which apply International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). We have elected to apply fair value option (“FVO”) reporting to certain of our fixed rate debt issuances which also qualify for FVO reporting under the Group Reporting Basis. The following table summarizes fixed rate debt issuances accounted for under FVO:



	December 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
	(in millions)
Fixed rate debt accounted for under FVO reported in:
Long-term debt	$	6,762	$	8,025
Due to affiliates	512		496
Total fixed rate debt accounted for under FVO	$	7,274	$	8,521

Unpaid principal balance of fixed rate debt accounted for under FVO⁽¹⁾	$	6,888	$	7,942

Fixed rate long-term debt not accounted for under FVO	$	5,863	$	7,083


⁽¹⁾	Balance includes a foreign currency translation adjustment relating to our foreign denominated FVO debt which decreased the debt balance by $146 million at December 31, 2014 and increased the debt balance by $245 million at December 31, 2013.

We determine the fair value of the fixed rate debt accounted for under FVO through the use of a third party pricing service. Such fair value represents the full market price (including credit and interest rate impacts) based on observable market data for the same or similar debt instruments. See Note 20, "Fair Value Measurements,” for a description of the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our fixed rate debt accounted for under FVO.

The following table summarizes the components of the gain (loss) on debt designated at fair value and related derivatives for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012:



Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	(in millions)
Mark-to-market on debt designated at fair value⁽¹⁾:
Interest rate component	$	168		$	314		$	166
Credit risk component	27			(71		)	(758		)
Total mark-to-market on debt designated at fair value	195			243			(592		)
Mark-to-market on the related derivatives⁽¹⁾	(254		)	(333		)	(260		)
Net realized gains on the related derivatives	267			318			403
Gain (loss) on debt designated at fair value and related derivatives	$	208		$	228		$	(449	)

⁽¹⁾

Mark-to-market on debt designated at fair value and related derivatives excludes market value changes due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Foreign currency translation gains (losses) recorded in derivative related income (expense) associated with debt designated at fair value was a gain of $391 million, a loss of $73 million and a loss of $35 million during 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Offsetting gains (losses) recorded in derivative related income (expense) associated with the related derivatives was a loss of $391 million, a gain of $73 million and a gain of $35 million during 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

The movement in the fair value reflected in gain (loss) on debt designated at fair value and related derivatives includes the effect of our own credit spread changes and interest rate changes, including any economic ineffectiveness in the relationship between the related derivatives and our debt and any realized gains or losses on those derivatives. With respect to the credit component, as our credit spreads narrow accounting losses are booked and the reverse is true if credit spreads widen. Differences arise between the movement in the fair value of our debt and the fair value of the related derivative due to the different credit characteristics and differences in the calculation of fair value for debt and derivatives. The size and direction of the accounting consequences of such changes can be volatile from period to period but do not alter the cash flows intended as part of our interest rate management strategy. On a cumulative basis, we have recorded fair value option adjustments which increased the value of our debt by $386 million and $581 million at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

The change in the fair value of the debt and the change in value of the related derivatives during 2014 and 2013 reflects the following:

•

Interest rate curve – During 2014, changes in market movements on certain debt and related derivatives that mature in the near term resulted in a gain in the interest rate component on the mark-to-market of the debt and a loss on the mark-to-market of the related derivative. As these items near maturity, their values are less sensitive to interest rate movements. Rising long-term interest rates during 2013 resulted in a gain in the interest rate component on the mark-to-market of the debt and a loss on the mark-to-market of the related derivative in the year-ago period. Changes in the value of the interest rate component of the debt as compared with the related derivative are also affected by differences in cash flows and valuation methodologies for the debt and the derivatives. Cash flows on debt are discounted using a single discount rate from the bond yield curve for each bond’s applicable maturity while derivative cash flows are discounted using rates at multiple points along an interest rate yield curve. The impacts of these differences vary as short-term and long-term interest rates shift and time passes. Furthermore, certain FVO debt no longer has any corresponding derivatives.


•	Credit – Our secondary market credit spreads widened minimally during 2014. Our secondary market credit spreads tightened during 2013 and 2012 on overall positive economic news, although the tightening was more pronounced during 2012.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for a company's election to apply the fair value option for measurement and reporting of eligible financial assets and liabilities (as defined), as well as certain other eligible items (as defined) included in the statement of financial position, whether such option is elected for a single eligible item or a group of similar eligible items and is in addition to other disclosures concerning fair value which the company may be required to provide. Such disclosure might be expected to include: (1) for items included in the statement of financial position: (a) the reasons for electing a fair value option for each eligible item or group of similar eligible items; (b) if the fair value option is elected for some but not all eligible items within a group of similar eligible items: (i) a description of those similar items and the reasons for partial election and (ii) information of how the group of similar items relates to individual balance sheet line items; (c) for each line item in the statement of financial position that includes an item or items for which the fair value option has been elected: (i) information of how each line item in the statement of financial position relates to major categories of assets and liabilities presented in accordance with other fair value disclosures and (ii) the aggregate carrying amount of ineligible items included in each line item in the balance sheet, if any; (d) the difference between the aggregate fair value and the aggregate unpaid principal balance (assuming contractual principal amounts and fair value option elected) of: (i) loans and long-term receivables (other than securities otherwise reported at fair value) and (ii) long-term debt instruments; (e) for loans held as assets for which the fair value option has been elected: (i) the aggregate fair value of loans that are 90 days or more past due, (ii) if the policy is to recognize interest income separately from other changes in fair value, the aggregate fair value of loans in nonaccrual status, and (iii) the difference between the aggregate fair value and the aggregate unpaid principal balance for loans that are 90 days or more past due, in nonaccrual status, or both; (f) for investments that would have been accounted for under the equity method if the entity had not chosen to apply the fair value option, the information required for such investments, if material either individually or in the aggregate; (2) for items included in the income statement: (a) the amounts of gains and losses from fair value changes included in earnings and in which line in the income statement those gains and losses are reported whether or not combined with gains and losses from items required to be accounted for at fair value; (b) a description of how interest and dividends are measured and where they are reported in the income statement; (c) for loans and other receivables held as assets: (i) the estimated amount of gains or losses included in earnings attributable to changes in instrument-specific credit risk and (ii) how the gains or losses attributable to changes in instrument-specific credit risk were determined; (d) for liabilities with fair values that have been significantly affected during the reporting period by changes in the instrument-specific credit risk: (i) the estimated amount of gains and losses from fair value changes included in earnings that are attributable to changes in the instrument-specific credit risk, (ii) qualitative information about the reasons for those changes, and (iii) how the gains and losses attributable to changes in instrument-specific credit risk were determined; and (3) certain other disclosures as required or determined to be provided.

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