3.8 Fair value measurement
The Company measures financial instruments, such as, derivatives, and certain non-financial assets such as trusts assets of labor obligations at fair value at each balance sheet date. Also, fair values of bank loans and notes payable carried at amortized cost are disclosed in Note 17.
Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value measurement is based on the presumption that the transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability takes place either:
| • | In the principal market for the asset or liability, or |
| • | In the absence of a principal market, in the most advantageous market for the asset or liability |
A fair value measurement of a non-financial asset takes into account a market participant’s ability to generate economic benefits by using the asset in its highest and best use or by selling it to another market participant that would use the asset in its highest and best use.
The Company uses valuation techniques that are appropriate in the circumstances and for which sufficient data are available to measure fair value, maximizing the use of relevant observable inputs and minimizing the use of unobservable inputs.
All assets and liabilities for which fair value is measured or disclosed in the financial statements are categorized within the fair value hierarchy, described as follows, based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement as a whole:
| • | Level 1: quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date. |
| • | Level 2: inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. |
| • | Level 3: are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs shall be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date. |
For assets and liabilities that are recognized in the financial statements on a recurring basis, the Company determines whether transfers have occurred between Levels in the hierarchy by re-assessing categorization (based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement as a whole) at the end of each reporting period.
The Company determines the policies and procedures for both recurring fair value measurement, such as those described in Note 19 and unquoted liabilities such as debt described in Note 17.
For the purpose of fair value disclosures, the Company has determined classes of assets and liabilities on the basis of the nature, characteristics and risks of the asset or liability and the level of the fair value hierarchy as explained above.