At each hedge effectiveness assessment date, a hedge relationship must be expected to be highly effective on a prospective basis and demonstrate that it was effective (retrospective effectiveness) for the designated period in order to qualify for hedge accounting. A formal assessment is undertaken by comparing the hedging instrument’s effectiveness in offsetting the changes in fair value or cash flows attributable to the hedged risk in the hedged item, both at inception and at each quarter end on an ongoing basis. A hedge is expected to be highly effective if the changes in fair value or cash flows attributable to the hedged risk during the period for which the hedge is designated were offset by the hedging instrument in a range of 80% to 125% and were expected to achieve such offset in future periods. Hedge ineffectiveness is recognised in the income statement. For situations where the hedged item is a forecast transaction, the Branch also assesses whether the transaction is highly probable and presents an exposure to variations in cash flows that could ultimately affect the statement of income.