Note 9. - Derivative financial instruments

The breakdowns of the fair value amount of the derivative financial instruments as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 are as follows:

	Balance as of March 31, 2019				Balance as of December 31, 2018
($ in thousands)	Assets		Liabilities		Assets		Liabilities
Interest rate - cash flow hedge		3,879		305,138		9,923		279,152
Foreign exchange derivative instruments		3,899		-		3,230		-
Total		7,778		305,138		13,153		279,152

The derivatives are primarily interest rate cash-flow hedges. All are classified as non-current assets or non-current liabilities, as they hedge long-term financing agreements.

Additionally, the Company owns currency options with leading international financial institutions, which guarantee minimum Euro-U.S. dollar exchange rates. The strategy of the Company is to hedge the exchange rate for the distributions from its Spanish assets after deducting euro-denominated interest payments and euro-denominated general and administrative expenses. Through currency options, the strategy of the Company is to hedge 100% of its euro-denominated net exposure for the next 12 months and 75% of its euro denominated net exposure for the following 12 months, on a rolling basis. Hedge accounting is not applied to these options

The net amount of the fair value of interest rate derivatives designated as cash flow hedges transferred to the consolidated condensed income statement is a loss of $14.2 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 (loss of $17.3 million in the three-month period ended March 31, 2018)

The after-tax results accumulated in equity in connection with derivatives designated as cash flow hedges as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 amount to a profit of $71.0 million and a profit of $95.0 million respectively.