UAE

Dubai Islamic Bank increases stake in Tamweel to 57 per cent

Dubai Islamic Bank has become the majority shareholder in Tamweel, taking management control; bank's liquidity 'to positively impact' Tamweel's business. The transaction marks an important milestone for the bank and the UAE property market”, said His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of His Highness The Ruler’s Court of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank.
“Dubai Islamic Bank has always been committed to the growth and prosperity of Dubai and the UAE, and we hope that this landmark deal will have a positive impact not only for the real estate sector but the UAE’s overall economic environment,” he added.

Worldbank: Arab donors among the most generous in the world - twice the recommended amount

Arab donors—predominantly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait and United Arab Emirates (UAE)—have been among the most generous in the world, with official development assistance (ODA) averaging 1.5 percent of their combined gross national income (GNI) during the period 1973–2008, more than twice the United Nations target of 0.7 percent and five times the average of the OECD-DAC countries. Arab ODA accounts for 13 percent of total DAC ODA on average and nearly three-quarters of non-DAC ODA.

The share of Arab ODA in Arab GNI was exceptionally high in the 1970s and early 1980s, peaking at over 12 percent for the UAE and at about 8.5 percent for Kuwait and KSA in 1973. Nearly one-third of all ODA during the 1970s was from Arab donors. Although the ratio has fallen over time, it still exceeds the average among OECD-DAC member countries.

Moreover, Arab aid is generally untied, and is offered without conditions or restrictions.

Emirates Steel gets $1bn loan for expansion

UAE's Emirates Steel Industries, which controls a majority of the country's steel market with an annual output of two million tons, on Wednesday secured a $1.1 billion loan from a group of regional banks as it seeks to expand its production capacity.
The Abu Dhabi-based firm, the operator of the largest steel plant in the UAE reached a seven-year project financing agreement with a consortium of seven conventional banks and two Islamic finance institutions.
The conventional banks in the consortium are the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Union National Bank, First Gulf Bank, Bank of Baroda, Arab Banking Corporation, Al-Khaliji France and Al-Khalij Commercial Bank. The two Islamic finance institutions are the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Al-Hilal Bank.

National Bonds: serving people's different purposes

Aware that the profit rate dropped last year to 3.5 per cent compared to the previous years' rates of six per cent and seven per cent they think that it was still better than what the banks offered in term deposits. Ali Abdullah Janahi, Mahmoud Al Twissi, Bhawna Bist and Dimple Bhatia are among the recent converts to National Bonds, attracted by what they believe is a safe investment with better returns than banks. While some see the UAE-based Sharia-compliant savings scheme as one more way to diversify their portfolio, others see it as a future fund for children and a stop-gap investment before opting for other avenues such as real estate. In most cases, it's the word of mouth recommendations from friends and relatives about the scheme that persuaded them to invest in National Bonds.

Ethica and Zawya Announce Partnership

Ethica Institute of Islamic Finance and Zawya today announced a partnership to jointly deliver online Islamic banking courses and certification. Ethica Institute's certification is chosen by more professionals and students than any other Islamic finance certificate in the world, and Zawya is widely regarded as the leading provider of business and investment intelligence in the Middle East. A partnership between Ethica and Zawya would bring unprecedented access to standardized Islamic finance training and certification to both companies' extensive community of high-end users. In the coming months the two companies intend to jointly launch a specialized Islamic finance certification focusing on Sukuk.

Islamic banks' profits down 17% in H1

Islamic banks in the UAE recorded a decline of around 17 per cent in its net earnings in the first half of 2010 despite a sharp rise in the profits of the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB). Individually, several national banks reported growth in their net income in the first half of 2010, including the government-controlled National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) and First Gulf Bank (FGB). The UAE's largest bank, Emirates NBD, reported a 51 per cent fall in profits because of its exposure to Dubai World. Central Bank figures showed UAE banks are pushing ahead with a post-crisis provisioning drive because of their exposure to Dubai World, the domestic real estate sector and two Saudi financially troubled family businesses. According to a key Western financial institution, UIAE banks have emerged as more vulnerable to real estate downturns than those in other Gulf oil producers because of their massive lending for that sector.

Dubai charity donates $4 mn for Pakistani flood victims

The gesture came in response to a call from President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The money was handed over to the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA).

Nakheel Trade-Creditor Sukuk May Help Revive Gulf Market: Islamic Finance

Nakheel PJSC’s plan to offer Islamic bonds to creditors may revive sukuk trading in the Persian Gulf after new sales fell to a five-year low, according to Moody’s Investors Service and Mashreq Capital DIFC Ltd. Thomas Barry said that contractors are likely to sell Nakheel’s sukuk to pay bills. Thomas Barry is chief executive officer of Arabtec Construction LLC. In April, the company said its trade creditors would be offered 100 percent recovery of their claims -- 40 percent through a cash payment and 60 percent in the form of a tradable sukuk. More than 80 percent of Nakheel’s contractors have agreed. Abdul Kadir Hussain said sukuk sales from the region are likely to pick up in the fourth quarter. Nakheel and its parent Dubai World, one of the emirate’s three main holding companies, are renegotiating debt terms after the deepest financial crisis since the 1930s roiled Dubai’s real-estate market and left companies unable to raise financing. Property prices have fallen more than 50 percent in the city as banks cut mortgage lending, according to estimates from Colliers International.

Turkey’s first Islamic bond offering oversubscribed

Kuveyt Turk Katilim Bankasi, a subsidiary of Kuwait Finance House, will pay a coupon of 5.25 per cent on Turkey’s first Islamic bond offering that was oversubscribed, said people close to the transaction. Kuveyt Turk launched the three-year $100 million sukuk on August 17. This is the first ever sukuk from Turkey and the first bank sukuk originating from Europe, according to law firm Norton Rose, which advised on the offering. “This is another significant step towards growing Islamic finance in Europe. “The sukuk by Kuveyt Turk further demonstrates continuing interest and appetite for Islamic finance within key emerging economies,” Neil D. Miller Global Head of Islamic finance at Norton Rose (Middle East), said in the statement. The joint lead managers on the transaction were Citigroup Global Markets and Liquidity Management House.

Sovereign Sukuk Beating Company Debt First Time Since May: Islamic Finance

Sovereign Islamic bonds from Asia to the Persian Gulf are lowering returns on corporate sukuk for the first time in three months.

Malaysia’s Lembaga Tabung Haji fund, France’s BNP Paribas Investment Partners and Duet Mena Ltd. in Dubai forecast government debt will outperform until property prices in the Persian Gulf recover from a slump that prompted credit-ratings companies to downgrade corporate bonds.

Jailing Gulf debtors 'morally wrong' - economics academic

A leading economist says the practice of jailing debtors is morally wrong. In the rest of the world it is the banks’ responsibility to try to assess the credit worthiness of individuals. Prof Batchelor is trying to rebuild Dubai’s image. He thinks that Dubai could treat people who might have stayed and set up a business a little better. They shouldn’t be faced with the idea of going elsewhere in the world. Abdulfattah Sharaf, HSBC's head in the UAE, keeps his idea that jailing debtors remained an effective way for banks to retrieve bad loans.

Sukuk pickup seen in H2 - HSBC Amanah

Razi Fakih, HSBC Amanah deputy chief executive, says the company is optimistic and sukuk is unlikely to fade out. HSBC has already served as Islamic bond manager on 13 sukuk issues in the first half of the year according Reuters Data. Research firm Oliver Wyman expects industry growth to about 20% until 2012.

Comments Invited for Policy Brief by Hawkamah’s Task Force on Corporate Governance of Islamic Financial Institutions

Hawkamah issues a DRAFT Policy Brief for consultation purposes only. Please find the related full document under source.

Please submit comments and feedback to Ms. Jahanara Sajjad Ahmad , Program Manager Hawkamah, The Institute For Corporate (jahanara.ahmad@hawkamah.org) .

The journal of strategic thinking in Islamic finance - Issue 3 for free download

In the current issues the following questions are discussed:

How should we recognize excellence in the Islamic finance industry?
How do we identify greatness – of bankers and financiers, of lawyers, of consultants, of scholars?
How do we discourage a culture of „Islamic Awards for Cash??
How do we develop an „Islamic? methodology for rewarding achievement?

Dubai's retail debt challenge

Debt management agency ISDM calculated the average debt load of its customers is AED500,000.

The agency has more than 3,000 clients on its books and about 70 percent of its customers are defaulting on consumer rather than business loans. About 5 % of the clients are ex-UAE residents who have skipped the country rather than face jail for their debts. Banks can recover 80 cents on the dollar through consolidation. Through a debt collection agency, may receive 40 cents on the dollar according to the firm's director Yohannes Mazeingi.

Dubai-based ISDM advises clients in debt distress to consolidate their loans and negotiate with the banks. It collects a two percent fee commission based on the overall value of the debt.

Under UAE law, bouncing a cheque is a criminal offence that can result in a jail sentence.

Mideast's wealthy community grows 7% in 2009

The number of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) in the UAE dropped almost 20 percent last year. The growth levels in the Middle East were the lowest of all the regions surveyed in the report and Amir Sadr, head of Middle East Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, said this was evidence that the region had underperformed in 2009. A new study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that millionaire households owned more than half of the wealth in the Middle East and Africa region in 2009.

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