Employee benefits Employee benefits, which include base pay, cash

Year ended 31 December 2012 15 Please refer to Note 39.2 for disclosures on hedging derivatives.

2.19 Employee benefits Employee benefits, which include base pay, cash

bonuses, share-based compensation, contribution to defined contribution plans such as the Central Provident Fund and other staff-related allowances, are recognised in the income statement when incurred. For defined contribution plans, contributions are made to publicly or privately administered funds on a mandatory, contractual or voluntary basis. Once the contributions have been paid, the Group has no further payment obligations. Employee entitlement to annual leave is recognised when they accrue to employees. A provision is made for the estimated liability for annual untaken leave as a result of services rendered by employees up to the balance sheet date. 2.20 Share-based compensation Employee benefits also include share-based compensation, namely the DBSH Share Ownership Scheme the Scheme, the DBSH Share Option Plan, the DBSH Share Plan and the DBSH Employee Share Plan the Plans. The details of the Scheme and Plans are described in Note 40. Equity instruments granted and ultimately vested under the Plans are recognised in the income statement based on the fair value of the equity instrument at the date of grant. The expense is amortised over the vesting period of each award. Monthly contributions to the Scheme are expensed off when incurred. 2.21 Current and deferred taxes Current income tax for current and prior periods is recognised at the amount expected to be paid or recovered from the tax authorities, using the tax rates and tax laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date. The Group considers uncertain tax positions generally at the level of the total tax liability to each tax authority for each period. The liability is determined based on the total amount of current tax expected to be paid, taking into account all tax uncertainties, using either an expected value approach or a single best estimate of the most likely outcome. Tax assets and liabilities of the same type current or deferred are offset when a legal right of offset exist and settlement in this fashion is intended. This applies generally when they arise from the same tax reporting group and relate to the same tax authority. Deferred income tax is provided on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the financial statements. Temporary differences are not recognised for goodwill that is not deductible for tax purposes and for the initial recognition of assets or liabilities that neither affects accounting nor taxable profit, other than a business combination. The amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected manner of realisation or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date. Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which the temporary differences can be utilised. Deferred tax is provided on temporary differences arising from investments in subsidiaries, branches, associates and joint ventures, except where the timing of the reversal of the temporary difference can be controlled and it is probable that the temporary difference will not be reversed in the foreseeable future. Deferred tax related to fair value re-measurement of available-for-sale investments, which are recognised outside profit or loss, is also recognised outside profit or loss i.e. in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the available-for-sale revaluation reserves. 3 Critical Accounting Estimates The Group ’s accounting policies and use of estimates are integral to the reported results. Certain accounting estimates require exercise of management’s judgment in determining the appropriate methodology for valuation of assets and liabilities. In addition, procedures are in place to ensure that methodologies are reviewed and revised as appropriate. The Group believes its estimates for determining the valuation of its assets and liabilities are appropriate. The following is a brief description of the Group ’s critical accounting estimates involving management’s valuation judgment.

3.1 Impairment allowances