of the forecasted future purchases and sales of these U.S. dollar investments. This has the effect of partially offsetting the year-over-year foreign currency translation impact on net earnings in the period the investments are sold. Hedges of available-for-sale investments are accounted for as cash flow hedges. The fair value of instruments used in this manner at May 31, 2009 and 2008 was $103.6 million and $7.8 million in assets and $0 and $14.4 million in liabilities, respectively. The effective portion of the changes in fair value of these instruments is reported in OCI and reclassified into earnings in other (income) expense, net in the period during which the hedged available-for-sale investment is sold and affects earnings. Any ineffective portion, which was not material for any year presented, is immediately recognized in earnings as a component of other (income) expense, net.

For fiscal 2009, we estimate that the combination of foreign currency conversion gains in other (income) expense, net and the modestly favorable translation of foreign currency-denominated profits from our international businesses resulted in a year-over-year increase in consolidated income before income taxes of approximately $124 million.

Refer to Note 18 — Risk Management and Derivatives in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for additional quantitative detail.

Net investments in foreign subsidiaries

We are also exposed to the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on our investments in wholly-owned foreign subsidiaries denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar, which could adversely impact the U.S. dollar value of these investments and therefore the value of future repatriated earnings. During fiscal 2008, we began to hedge certain net investment positions in Euro-functional currency foreign subsidiaries to mitigate the effects of foreign exchange fluctuations on net investments, with the effect of preserving the value of future repatriated earnings. In accordance with FAS 133, the effective portion of the change in fair value of the forward contracts designated as net investment hedges is recorded in the cumulative translation adjustment component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Any ineffective portion, which was not material for any year presented, is immediately recognized in earnings as a component of other (income) expense, net. To minimize credit risk, we have structured these net investment hedges to be generally less than six months in duration. Upon maturity, the hedges are settled based on the current fair value of the forward contracts with the realized gain or loss remaining in OCI; concurrent with settlement, we enter into new forward contracts at the current market rate. The impact of net investment hedges reflected in OCI was a pre-tax gain (loss) of $161.4 million and ($68.6) million in 2009 and 2008, respectively. Cash flows from net investment hedge settlements totaled $191.3 million and ($76.0) million in 2009 and 2008, respectively.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash Flow Activity

Cash provided by operations was $1.7 billion for fiscal 2009 compared to $1.9 billion for fiscal