With the exponential growth in financial derivatives, accounting standards setters have had to keep pace and devise new ways of accounting for transactions involving these instruments, especially hedging activities. This book addresses the essential elements of these developments. The early chapters provide a basic foundation by discussing the concepts of risk, risk types and measurement, and risk management. This is followed by an introduction to the nature and valuation of free standing options, swaps, forward and futures as well as of embedded derivatives. Discussion and illustrations...