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Fair value of financial instruments (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments Disclosure [Abstract] |
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Table Text Block] | Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis by caption on the consolidated balance sheets using the fair value hierarchy are described below:
|  | 2012 |
(In thousands of US$) |  | Quoted market prices in an active market (Level 1) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant observable market information (Level 2) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant unobservable market information (Level 3) |  |  | Total carrying value in the consolidated balance sheets |
Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Trading assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sovereign bonds |  |  | 5,146 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 5,146 |
Interest rate swap |  |  | 49 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 49 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 50 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 50 |
Future contracts |  |  | 20 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 20 |
Total trading assets |  |  | 5,215 |  |  |  | 50 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 5,265 |
Securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Corporate debt |  |  | 17,386 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 17,386 |
Sovereign debt |  |  | 165,355 |  |  |  | 276 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 165,631 |
Total securities available-for-sale |  |  | 182,741 |  |  |  | 276 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 183,017 |
Investment fund |  |  | - |  |  |  | 105,888 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 105,888 |
Derivative financial instruments used for hedging - receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 8,319 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 8,319 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 10,858 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 10,858 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 62 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 62 |
Total derivative financial instruments used for hedging - receivable |  |  | - |  |  |  | 19,239 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 19,239 |
Total assets at fair value |  |  | 187,956 |  |  |  | 125,453 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 313,409 |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Trading liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 100 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 100 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 32,182 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 32,182 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 22 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 22 |
Total trading liabilities |  |  | - |  |  |  | 32,304 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 32,304 |
Derivative financial instruments used for hedging – payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 6,600 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 6,600 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,688 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,688 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 459 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 459 |
Total derivative financial instruments used for hedging - payable |  |  | - |  |  |  | 11,747 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 11,747 |
Total liabilities at fair value |  |  | - |  |  |  | 44,051 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 44,051 |
| 2011
(In thousands of US$) |  | Quoted market prices in an active market (Level 1) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant observable market information (Level 2) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant unobservable market information (Level 3) |  |  | Total carrying value in the consolidated balance sheets |
Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Trading assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sovereign bonds |  |  | 20,415 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 20,415 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 21 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 21 |
Total trading assets |  |  | 20,415 |  |  |  | 21 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 20,436 |
Securities available-for-sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Corporate debt |  |  | 87,198 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 87,198 |
Sovereign debt |  |  | 328,544 |  |  |  | 558 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 329,102 |
Total securities available-for-sale |  |  | 415,742 |  |  |  | 558 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 416,300 |
Investment fund |  |  | - |  |  |  | 120,425 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 120,425 |
Derivative financial instruments - receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 16 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 16 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 3,605 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 3,605 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 538 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 538 |
Total derivative financial instruments - receivable |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,159 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,159 |
Total assets at fair value |  |  | 436,157 |  |  |  | 125,163 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 561,320 |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Trading liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 748 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 748 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,836 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,836 |
Total trading liabilities |  |  | - |  |  |  | 5,584 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 5,584 |
Derivative financial instruments – payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 10,829 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 10,829 |
Cross-currency interest rate swaps |  |  | - |  |  |  | 40,574 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 40,574 |
Forward foreign exchange |  |  | - |  |  |  | 2,339 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 2,339 |
Total derivative financial instruments – payable |  |  | - |  |  |  | 53,742 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 53,742 |
Total liabilities at fair value |  |  | - |  |  |  | 59,326 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 59,326
Schedule Of Value Of Financial Instruments Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Table Text Block] | The following table provides information on the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Bank’s financial instruments that are not measured on a recurring basis:
(In thousands of US$) |  | December 31, 2012 |
|  | Carrying Value |  |  | Fair Value |  |  | Quoted market prices in an active market (Level 1) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant observable market information (Level 2) |  |  | Internally developed models with significant unobservable market information (Level 3) |
Financial assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Instruments with carrying value that approximates fair value |  |  | 746,006 |  |  |  | 746,006 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 746,006 |  |  |  | - |
Securities held-to-maturity |  |  | 34,113 |  |  |  | 34,149 |  |  |  | 19,444 |  |  |  | 14,705 |  |  |  | - |
Loans, net of allowance (1) |  |  | 5,635,480 |  |  |  | 5,784,172 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 5,784,172 |  |  |  | - |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | - |
Financial liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Instruments with carrying value that approximates fair value |  |  | 2,494,734 |  |  |  | 2,494,824 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 2,494,824 |  |  |  | - |
Short-term borrowings |  |  | 1,449,023 |  |  |  | 1,453,159 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 1,453,159 |  |  |  | - |
Borrowings and long-term debt |  |  | 1,905,540 |  |  |  | 1,922,544 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 1,922,544 |  |  |  | - |
Commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, and financial guarantees written |  |  | 5,781 |  |  |  | 4,841 |  |  |  | - |  |  |  | 4,841 |  |  |  | - |
(1) The carrying value of loans is net of the Allowance for loan losses of $73.0 million for December 31, 2012.
(In thousands of US$) |  | December 31, 2011 |
|  | Carrying Value |  |  | Fair Value |
Financial assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Instruments with carrying value that approximates fair value |  |  | 882,762 |  |  |  | 882,762 |
Securities held-to-maturity |  |  | 26,536 |  |  |  | 26,637 |
Loans, net of allowance (1) |  |  | 4,864,329 |  |  |  | 4,913,473 |
Financial liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Instruments with carrying value that approximates fair value |  |  | 2,693,408 |  |  |  | 2,692,832 |
Short-term borrowings |  |  | 1,323,466 |  |  |  | 1,319,350 |
Borrowings and long-term debt |  |  | 1,487,548 |  |  |  | 1,441,919 |
Commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, and financial guarantees written |  |  | 10,497 |  |  |  | 9,807 |
(1) The carrying value of loans is net of the Allowance for loan losses of $88.5 million for December 31, 2011.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value, and a discussion of changes in valuation techniques and related inputs, if any, applied during the period to each separate class of assets, liabilities, and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity that are measured on a recurring and/or nonrecurring basis. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (bbb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of assets and liabilities by class, including financial instruments measured at fair value that are classified in shareholders' equity, if any, that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in periods after initial recognition (for example, impaired assets). Disclosures may include, but are not limited to: (a) the fair value measurements recorded and the reasons for the measurements and (b) the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements are categorized in their entirety (levels 1, 2, 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 33 -Subparagraph a, b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19296-110258 + Details
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