Editorial note: Provisions in subparagraph (b) are disapplied in the European environment by the EU Accounting Regulatory Committee. See EU Accounting Regulatory Committee meeting on 8 September: Working Document on IAS 39 - annotated version. The disapplied provisions are shown in strikethrough text below.

(b) Upon initial recognition it is designated by the entity as at fair value through profit or loss. Any financial asset or financial liability within the scope of this Standard may be designated when initially recognised as a financial asset or financial liability at fair value through profit or loss except for investments in equity instruments that do not have a quoted market price in an active market, and whose fair value cannot be reliably measured (see paragraph 46(c) and Appendix A paragraphs AG80 and AG81).

Definitions of Four Categories of Financial Instruments
A financial asset or financial liability at fair value through profit or loss is a financial asset or financial liability that meets either of the following conditions.
(a) It is classified as held for trading. A financial asset or financial liability is classified as held for trading if it is:
(i) acquired or incurred principally for the purpose of selling or repurchasing it in the near term;
(ii) part of a portfolio of identified financial instruments that are managed together and for which there is evidence of a recent actual pattern of short-term profit-taking; or
(iii) a derivative (except for a derivative that is a designated and effective hedging instrument).
(b) Upon initial recognition it is designated by the entity as at fair value through profit or loss. Any financial asset or financial liability within the scope of this Standard may be designated when initially recognised as a financial asset or financial liability at fair value through profit or loss except for investments in equity instruments that do not have a quoted market price in an active market, and whose fair value cannot be reliably measured (see paragraph 46(c) and Appendix A paragraphs AG80 and AG81).

9. The following terms are used in this Standard with the meanings specified:
Definition of a Derivative
A derivative is a financial instrument or other contract within the scope of this Standard (see paragraphs 2-7) with all three of the following characteristics:
(a) its value changes in response to the change in a specified interest rate, financial instrument price, commodity price, foreign exchange rate, index of prices or rates, credit rating or credit index, or other variable, provided in the case of a non-financial variable that the variable is not specific to a party to the contract (sometimes called the 'underlying');
(b) it requires no initial net investment or an initial net investment that is smaller than would be required for other types of contracts that would be expected to have a similar response to changes in market factors; and
(c) it is settled at a future date.
Editorial note: Sub-paragraph (a) substituted by IFRS 4 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. Earlier application is encouraged. If an entity applies this IFRS for an earlier period, it shall disclose that fact. Previously "(a) its value changes in response to the change in a specified interest rate, financial instrument price, commodity price, foreign exchange rate, index of prices or rates, credit rating or credit index, or other variable (sometimes called the 'underlying');".

Definitions
8. The terms defined in IAS 32 are used in this Standard with the meanings specified in paragraph 11 of IAS 32. IAS 32 defines the following terms:
•   financial instrument
•   financial asset
•   financial liability
•   equity instrument
and provides guidance on applying those definitions.

7. A written option to buy or sell a non-financial item that can be settled net in cash or another financial instrument, or by exchanging financial instruments, in accordance with paragraph 6(a) or (d) is within the scope of this Standard. Such a contract cannot be entered into for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of the non-financial item in accordance with the entity's expected purchase, sale or usage requirements.

6. There are various ways in which a contract to buy or sell a non-financial item can be settled net in cash or another financial instrument or by exchanging financial instruments. These include:
(a) when the terms of the contract permit either party to settle it net in cash or another financial instrument or by exchanging financial instruments;
(b) when the ability to settle net in cash or another financial instrument, or by exchanging financial instruments, is not explicit in the terms of the contract, but the entity has a practice of settling similar contracts net in cash or another financial instrument or by exchanging financial instruments (whether with the counterparty, by entering into offsetting contracts or by selling the contract before its exercise or lapse);
(c) when, for similar contracts, the entity has a practice of taking delivery of the underlying and selling it within a short period after delivery for the purpose of generating a profit from short-term fluctuations in price or dealer's margin; and
(d) when the non-financial item that is the subject of the contract is readily convertible to cash.
A contract to which (b) or (c) applies is not entered into for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of the non-financial item in accordance with the entity's expected purchase, sale or usage requirements and, accordingly, is within the scope of this Standard. Other contracts to which paragraph 5 applies are evaluated to determine whether they were entered into and continue to be held for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of the non-financial item in accordance with the entity's expected purchase, sale or usage requirements and, accordingly, whether they are within the scope of this Standard.

4. Loan commitments that the entity designates as financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss are within the scope of this Standard. An entity that has a past practice of selling the assets resulting from its loan commitments shortly after origination shall apply this Standard to all its loan commitments in the same class.
5. This Standard shall be applied to those contracts to buy or sell a non-financial item that can be settled net in cash or another financial instrument, or by exchanging financial instruments, as if the contracts were financial instruments, with the exception of contracts that were entered into and continue to be held for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of a non-financial item in accordance with the entity's expected purchase, sale or usage requirements.

3. Some financial guarantee contracts require the issuer to make specified payments to reimburse the holder for a loss it incurs because a specified debtor fails to make payment when due under the original or modified terms of a debt instrument. If that requirement transfers significant risk to the issuer, the contract is an insurance contract as defined in IFRS 4 (see paragraphs 2(e) and AG4A). Other financial guarantee contracts require payments to be made in response to changes in a specified interest rate, financial instrument price, commodity price, foreign exchange rate, index of prices or rates, credit rating or credit index, or other variable, provided in the case of a non-financial variable that the variable is not specific to a party to the contract. Such contracts are within the scope of this Standard.
Editorial note: Substituted by IFRS 4 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. Earlier application is encouraged. If an entity applies this IFRS for an earlier period, it shall disclose that fact. Previously "Financial guarantee contracts are subject to this Standard if they provide for payments to be made in response to changes in a specified interest rate, financial instrument price, commodity price, foreign exchange rate, index of prices or rates, credit rating or credit index, or other variable (sometimes called the 'underlying'). For example, a financial guarantee contract that provides for payments to be made if the credit rating of a debtor falls below a particular level is within the scope of this Standard.".

[(j) rights to payments to reimburse the entity for expenditure it is required to make to settle a liability that it recognises as a provision in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets, or for which, in an earlier period, it recognised a provision in accordance with IAS 37.]
Editorial note:

Sub-paragraph (i) inserted by IFRS 2 (as sub-paragraph (j), but subsequently renumbered) with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies IFRS 2 for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period.

Sub-paragraphs (d)-(h) substituted (and sub-paragraphs (i) and (j) renumbered) by IFRS 4 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. Earlier application is encouraged. If an entity applies this IFRS for an earlier period, it shall disclose that fact. Text restated by IFRS 3with effect for business combinations for which the agreement date is on or after 31 March 2004, subject to further transitional provisions. Previously "(d) rights and obligations arising under insurance contracts. However, entities shall apply this Standard to a financial instrument that takes the form of an insurance (or reinsurance) contract as described in paragraph 6 of IAS 32, but principally involves the transfer of financial risks described in paragraph 52 of that Standard. In addition, derivatives that are embedded in insurance contracts are subject to the embedded derivatives provisions of this Standard (see paragraphs 10-13 and Appendix A paragraphs AG27-33). (e) financial instruments issued by the entity that meet the definition of an equity instrument in IAS 32 (including options and warrants). However, the holder of such equity instruments shall apply this Standard to those instruments, unless they meet the exception in (a) above. (f) financial guarantee contracts (including letters of credit and other credit default contracts) that provide for specified payments to be made to reimburse the holder for a loss it incurs because a specified debtor fails to make payment when due under the original or modified terms of a debt instrument (see paragraph 3). An issuer of such a financial guarantee contract shall initially recognise it at fair value, and subsequently measure it at the higher of (i) the amount recognised under IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets, and (ii) the amount initially recognised less, where appropriate, cumulative amortisation recognised in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue. Financial guarantees are subject to the derecognition provisions of this Standard (see paragraphs 39-42 and Appendix A paragraphs AG57-63). (g) contracts for contingent consideration in a business combination (see paragraphs 65-67 of IAS 22 Business Combinations). This exemption applies only to the acquirer. (h) contracts that require a payment based on climatic, geological or other physical variables (see Appendix A paragraph AG1). However, other types of derivatives that are embedded in such contracts are subject to the embedded derivatives provisions of this Standard (for example, if an interest rate swap is contingent on a climatic variable such as heating degree days, the interest rate swap element is an embedded derivative that is within the scope of this Standard-see paragraphs 10-13 and Appendix A paragraphs AG27-33).".

Sub-paragraph (j) inserted by IFRIC Interpretation 5 Rights to Interests arising from Decommissioning, Restoration and Environmental Rehabilitation Funds with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2006. If an entity applies this Interpretation for an earlier period, the amendment shall be applied for that earlier period.

(f) contracts for contingent consideration in a business combination (see IFRS 3 Business Combinations). This exemption applies only to the acquirer.
(g) contracts between an acquirer and a vendor in a business combination to buy or sell an acquiree at a future date.
(h) except as described in paragraph 4, loan commitments that cannot be settled net in cash or another financial instrument. A loan commitment is not regarded as settled net merely because the loan is paid out in instalments (for example, a mortgage construction loan that is paid out in instalments in line with the progress of construction). An issuer of a commitment to provide a loan at a below-market interest rate shall initially recognise it at fair value, and subsequently measure it at the higher of (i) the amount recognised under IAS 37 and (ii) the amount initially recognised less, where appropriate, cumulative amortisation recognised in accordance with IAS 18. An issuer of loan commitments shall apply IAS 37 to other loan commitments that are not within the scope of this Standard. Loan commitments are subject to the derecognition provisions of this Standard (see paragraphs 15-42 and Appendix A paragraphs AG36-63).
(i) financial instruments, contracts and obligations under share-based payment transactions to which IFRS 2 Share-based Payment applies, except for contracts within the scope of paragraphs 5-7 of this Standard, to which this Standard applies.