(6) Investments

Investments whereby we do not have significant influence or control over the investee are accounted for initially at cost. These investments include our holdings in privately held service and research companies that are not exchange traded and therefore not supported with observable market prices. We have determined that these investments do not have readily determinable fair values and are therefore revalued only when there are observable price changes in orderly transactions for identifiable or similar investments of the same issuer. We also estimate the fair value of our equity investments to assess whether impairment losses shall be recorded using Level 3 inputs. However, these investments are valued by reference to their net asset values that can be market supported and unobservable inputs including future cash flows. During the six months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we recognized $3.0 million and $2.3 million, respectively, of impairment losses related to our equity investments. The carrying amount of all investments at December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, was $62.9 million and $41.2 million, respectively.

Equity investments whereby we have significant influence but not control over the investee, and are not the primary beneficiary of the investee’s activities, are accounted for under the equity method. Under this method, we record our share of gains or losses attributable to equity method investments. The carrying amount of these investments at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 was $21.6 million and $0.0, respectively, and is included in the non-current balance of other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

We have determined that the fair value of our investments exceed their carrying values. Investments are included in the non-current balance of other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The following table shows a reconciliation of the changes in all of our investments during the six months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 (in thousands):


	Six Months Ended December 31,
Investments	2018		2017
Balance at the beginning of the period	$	41,226	$	38,324
Investments		27,967		3,725
Impairment of investments		(2,959)		(2,254)
Loss attributable to equity method investments		(3,375)		-
Balance at the end of the period	$	62,859	$	39,795