[12] Financial income

Financial income breaks down as follows: > TABLE 050

Financial income

 

050

in € million

2015

2014

Interest income from leases

34.8

29.6

Foreign currency exchange rate gains (financing)

5.8

4.3

Net interest income from defined benefit plans

0.9

1.1

Other interest and similar income

10.0

49.5

Total financial income

51.4

84.4

The interest income from leases relates to the interest portion of lease payments in financial services transactions in which KION Group entities operate as lessors (finance leases).

The change in foreign currency exchange rate gains and losses (financing) is attributable to exchange rate movements and includes gains and losses on hedging transactions (see also note [13]).

The line item ‘Net interest income from defined benefit plans’ relates to the net interest income on the net assets of two pension plans in the United Kingdom in which plan assets exceed pension obligations.

On 20 July 2015, the KION Group exercised the put option that it held via Linde Material Handling GmbH, Aschaffenburg, on 20.0 per cent of the shares in Linde Hydraulics. This eliminated the corresponding call option 1 held by Weichai Power. Measurement of these two options up to the exercise date in July 2015 and measurement of the remaining call option 2 in 2015 resulted in total income of €2.4 million, which was recognised under other interest and similar income. In the previous year, the income arising from measurement of the options was €43.2 million. The impairment loss relating to the stake held in Linde Hydraulics was included in the share of profit (loss) of equity-accounted investments in 2014 (see also note [11]).