Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (Exim Bank) plans to sell non-ringgit denominated Islamic bonds, or sukuk, in global markets this year to help fund future growth, its managing director Datuk Adissadikin Ali said. He, however, declined to say how much will be issued, except that it will be “significant”.
“We plan to issue the sukuk this year as the timing is right,” he told pressmen after a collaboration signing ceremony between Exim Bank and Indonesia’s PT Senagan Energi. The sale would be Exim Bank’s second foray into the international debt arena after the US$1.5 billion (RM4.5billion) multicurrency medium term note programme (MTN) issued last year…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Malaysia’s sukuk are luring Manulife Asset Management Services Bhd and Asian Islamic Investment Management Bhd now that the distraction of elections is over.
Manulife plans to increase holdings on optimism that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will honour a promise to cut the budget deficit after his re-election, chief investment officer Jason Chong said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur…………………………………….Full Article: Source

The insurance product is designed to boost the credit ratings of sukuk for sovereign issuers. A unit of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, a multilateral lending institution, has launched an insurance product designed to boost the credit ratings of sukuk (Islamic bonds) for sovereign issuers.
The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment & Export Credit (ICIEC), rated Aa3 by Moody’s, hopes its insurance policy can help issuers tap into strong investor demand for investment-grade sukuk…………………………………….Full Article: Source

The Sukuk Law has been approved by President Mohamed Morsi and was published in the official gazette on Wednesday. The government is now set to hold two bidding rounds for sukuk projects, the first to be held in US dollars and the second in Egyptian pounds.
Tarek Al-Ghamrawy, an economist at the Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies, said he had looked at some articles of the law and had noticed two positive points…………………………………….Full Article: Source

RAM Ratings has reaffirmed the AAA long-term rating of Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s (”TNB” or “the Group”) USD500 million equivalent Murabahah Medium-Term Notes Programme (2005/2025); the long-term rating has a stable outlook.
Based on RAM’s methodology on government-linked entities, there is a very high likelihood of extraordinary government support for TNB in the event of financial distress, given the Group’s strategic role as the national electricity company…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Asiya Investments (Asiya), the Asia specialist investment firm, announced on Thursday the launch of its Asia Islamic Trade Finance Fund, which will invest in select, Shariah-compliant financing of short-term physical trade flows in Asia and the Middle East.
The Fund aims to capture a unique set of opportunities that exist in today’s market. Key among these is the expansion of both intra-Asia as well as cross-border trade flows between Asia and the Middle East. Annual intra-Asia trade is expected to quadruple from almost $5 trillion to $20 trillion by 2020. Similarly, trade between the GCC and emerging Asia is growing at a rate of 25 percent per year…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Governor Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Dr D. Subbarao today said RBI will not create any huddle, if Government of India allows Islamic Banking in the country. Addressing a press conference here, after the conclusion of Central Board of Directors (CBD) meeting, the RBI Governor said that different Banks operating in the state will increase their Credit Deposit Ratio (CDR) from existing 36.5 percent to 40 percent so that more loans would be given to the people who require it.
“Let me clear to you. It is not RBI, which is standing in the way of starting of Islamic Banking in the country. It is the government which has to determine, whether to allow the Islamic Banking or not,” he said…………………………………….Full Article: Source

The Reserve Bank said Islamic banking is not consistent with current banking laws in India. “We got to see that Islamic Banking which does not allow charging interest or taking of interest is inconsistent with our existing laws… All that I am saying is Islamic banking is not consistent with current banking laws,” RBI Governor D Subbarao said after the board meeting.
Charging of interest is necessary to conduct banking operation in India because banks have to borrow on which it has to pay interest rate, he said, adding banks have to deposit excess cash with the Reserve Bank on which they get interest…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Followers of Islam, the second largest faith in the world with an estimated 1.7 billion believers, can now be surer when an Indian firm stands the pre-requisites for observant Muslims. The Shariah index launched by the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is a new measure in town, assuring compliance with the Islamic canonical law.
Besides giving Islamic mega funds a surer handle on Indian markets, the aim of the S&P BSE 500 Shariah Index is financial inclusion of Indian Muslims - around 177 million in number and hitherto wary of stock markets - and attract them to “correct” equities…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Pakistan’s securities commission has established a nine-member Shari’ah advisory board to oversee Islamic finance instruments in the world’s second most populous Muslim nation, a centralised approach increasingly being adopted elsewhere around the globe.
A country-level approach to regulating Islamic products was pioneered by Malaysia, and in recent months other economies have introduced central Shari’ah boards of their own including Dubai, Oman and Nigeria…………………………………….Full Article: Source

The Finance Ministry has approved a 6-billion-baht fund for recapitalization of the Islamic Bank of Thailand, of which the ministry is the major shareholder.
According to the Islamic Bank managing director, the Finance Ministry has given the green light to a project aimed at reviving the bank after it has been plagued by the problem of non-performing loans (NPLs). Out of the 6-billion-baht rehabilitation fund, 3 billion will come from the ministry itself, and the rest from the Government Savings Bank and the Krung Thai Bank, which are shareholders of the Islamic Bank…………………………………….Full Article: Source

The International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) has joined hands with Oman’s first dedicated Islamic bank, Bank Nizwa, to provide structured training and development initiatives for Omani nationals working in the Islamic finance industry.
In a statement Thursday, INCEIF said the collaboration is in line with Bank Nizwa’s efforts, aimed at aligning itself with the “Employer of Choice” adage by nurturing a work environment that attracts, optimises and retains top talent…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Gulf Finance House (GFH), the Bahrain based Islamic investment bank, announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013 recording another period of sound results and profitability.
GFH reported a net profit of US$1.5 million for the quarter compared with US$ 1 million during the same quarter in previous year, an increase of 50%. Total income for the period was at US$11.1 million compared to US$12.9 million during the first quarter of 2012…………………………………….Full Article: Source

Ajman Bank posted a profit of AED 12.3 million for the first quarter of 2013, compared to a first quarter 2012 profit of AED. 4.5 million, a 171 per cent increase.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of Ajman Bank, said, “The outstanding results Ajman Bank has achieved demonstrate our clear vision and strategy and the efficiency of our business model. Risk management is embedded at the centre of our business strategy and it has enabled the Bank to position itself appropriately for any upcoming challenges. ……………………………………Full Article: Source