Recent accounting pronouncements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Recent accounting pronouncements [Abstract]

Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Table Text Block]

Recent accounting pronouncements

In January 2010, the FASB (“Financial Accounting Standards Board”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-06 to improve disclosures about fair value measurements. This guidance requires new disclosures on transfers into and out of Level 1 and 2 measurements of the fair value hierarchy and requires separate disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements relating to Level 3 measurements. It also clarifies existing fair value disclosures relating to the level of disaggregation and inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value. It was effective for the first reporting period (including interim periods) beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the requirement to provide the Level 3 activity of purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements on a gross basis, which was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Corporation's financial condition, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-18, which states that modifications of loans that are accounted for within a pool under ASC 310-30 do not result in the removal of those loans from the pool even if the modification of those loans would otherwise be considered a troubled debt restructuring. An entity will continue to be required to consider whether the pool of assets in which the loan is included is impaired if expected cash flows for the pool change. The amendments do not affect the accounting for loans under the scope of ASC 310-30 that are not accounted for within pools. Loans accounted for individually under ASC 310-30 continue to be subject to the troubled debt restructuring accounting provisions within ASC 310-40, “Receivables-Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors.” The amendments were effective for modifications of loans accounted for within pools under Subtopic 310-30 occurring in the first interim or annual period ending on or after July 15, 2010. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Corporation's financial condition, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In July 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-20 to provide financial statement users with greater transparency about an entity's allowance for credit losses and the credit quality of its financing receivables. The objective of the ASU is to provide disclosures that assist financial statement users in their evaluation of (1) the nature of an entity's credit risk associated with its financing receivables, (2) how the entity analyzes and assesses that risk in arriving at the allowance for credit losses and (3) the changes in the allowance for credit losses and the reasons for those changes. Disclosures provided to meet the objective above should be provided on a disaggregated basis. The disclosures as of the end of a reporting period were effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending on or after December 15, 2010. The disclosures about activity that occurs during a reporting period were effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Corporation's financial condition or results of operations.

In April of 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-02, “Receivables (Topic 310): A Creditor's Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring,” which states that when evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a troubled debt restructuring, a creditor must separately conclude that both of the following exist: (1) the restructuring constitutes a concession and (2) the debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendments also provide clarification to help creditors in determining whether a creditor has granted a concession and whether a debtor is experiencing financial difficulties for purposes of determining whether a restructuring constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. In addition, the amendments clarify that a creditor is precluded from using the effective interest rate test in the debtor's guidance on restructuring of payables when evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. The amendments in this Update are effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and should be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this pronouncement will have a material impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs.” This pronouncement was issued concurrently with IFRS 13, “Fair Value Measurements”, to provide largely identical guidance about fair value measurement and disclosure requirements. The new standards do not extend the use of fair value but, rather, provide guidance about how fair value should be applied where it already is required or permitted under IFRS or U.S. GAAP. For U.S. GAAP, most of the changes are clarifications of existing guidance or wording changes to align with IFRS 13. A public entity is required to apply the ASU prospectively for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is not permitted for a public entity. In the period of adoption, a reporting entity will be required to disclose a change, if any, in valuation technique and related inputs that result from applying the ASU and to quantify the total effect, if practicable. The Corporation does not expect that the adoption of this pronouncement will have a material impact on the Corporation's financial condition or results of operations.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” This ASU is intended to increase the prominence of other comprehensive income in financial statements, and eliminates the option in current U.S. generally accepted accounting principles that permits the presentation of other comprehensive income in the statement of changes in equity. The new guidance is to be applied retrospectively, effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011.