Consolidated Annual Report 2017

BARBADOS PUBLIC WORKERS’ CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LIMITED | CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 70 BARBADOS PUBLIC WORKERS' CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LIMITED Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements For the year ended March 31, 2017 (Expressed in Barbados dollars) 58 25. Financial Risk Management, continued 25.4 Market risk Market risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of financial instruments will fluctuate due to changes in market variables such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity prices. The Group is mainly exposed to interest rate risk. The Group’s exposure to currency risk is minimal as a result of the fixed rate of exchange between the Barbados and Eastern Caribbean dollar. Interest rate risk Interest rate risk is the risk of loss from the fluctuations in the future cash flows or fair values of financial instruments because of a change in market interest rates. It arises when there is a mismatch between interest-bearing assets and interest-bearing liabilities, which are subject to interest rate adjustments, within a specified period. It can be reflected as a loss of future net interest income and/or a loss of current market values.