Business Blog

William Truscott, Chief Executive Officer of Global Asset Management at U.S. investment firm, Ameriprise Financial, is positive on the long-term growth prospects for Islamic finance due to strong demand for Shariah compliant instruments.

The global Sukuk industry is expected to be one of the fastest growing segments of the Islamic finance industry with huge growth potential in the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, region, particularly in Dubai where Sukuks are expected to play an important role over the next decade in securing funds for the substantial line-up of new projects.

Bank Negara Malaysia is pleased to accord the of "Emas" status to the Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad's (MEXIM) recent USD300 million 5-year sukuk issuance.

The Republic of Indonesia has released price guidance for a US dollar 144A/Reg S 10-year sukuk following a global roadshow that ended last week.Initial guidance is for a yield in the area of 4.625%.

As banks around the world gear up to meet tough Basel III regulatory standards, Islamic lenders face a source of uncertainty that could prove expensive for them: how regulators will treat their deposits.

A new screening method for sukuk (Islamic bonds), developed in cooperation with Saudi Arabian financial institutions, aims to reduce the cumbersome approval process that these instruments often require.