IslamicFinance.de: news, insights and support. Check About Us for discussion groups and contact.

German BAFIN welcomes application for Islamic banking license

The German banking regulator, BAFIN, held today a conference about Islamic finance with strong international participation and about 200 guests.

BAFIN president, Mr Sanio, says that Germany makes it easy to obtain a licence to sell the products, which are also compatible with the country's financial rules. He expressively welcomed "the first interested party that wants to start offering these products".

3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists: Call for Submissions

“BUILDING A BETTER WORLD”

New Horizons - Sound Strategies

The Ritz Carlton – Doha, Qatar

March 21-22, 2010

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Deadline: November 30, 2009

The annual conference of World Conference of Muslim Philanthropists, now recognized as the most prestigious forum on Muslim philanthropy worldwide, invites papers as well as proposals for sessions and workshops showcasing innovative, cutting-edge and experimental work.

THEME AND TOPICS

The conference will focus on how the integrated efforts of philanthropic, public and private sectors can effectively respond to the worsening global issues of hunger, poverty, disease, climate change and conflict. The forum will also host interactive roundtable discussions on Aid-effectiveness and Impediments to Building Capacity for Transformational Change. To further elucidate the theme “Building A Better World: New Horizons-Sound Strategies,” the conference will feature a special session on emerging markets philanthropy and global trends in giving.

Islamic and Conventional Banks in the GCC: How Did They Fare?

Excerpt from the IMF report
"Which group of banks is better-positioned to withstand adverse shocks?
With larger capital and liquidity buffers, Islamic banks are better-positioned to withstand adverse market or
credit shocks. On average, Islamic banks’ capital adequacy ratio (CAR) in the GCC is higher than that for
conventional banks (except in the United Arab Emirates). The risk-sharing aspect of Shariah-compliant
contracts adds to this buffer as banks are able to pass on losses to investors."

page 10, 11

Full Text for free download.

IFC lists USD 100 mn Sukuk in Dubai and Bahrain

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the multilateral development bank, will list a USD 100 mn 5-year Sukuk in Dubai and Bahrain. The IFC plans to return to the market with new issuances every 12 months to 18 months.

WCMP Launches Multi-Donor Giving Circle to Combat Hunger and Poverty

PRESS RELEASE

Washington, DC, October 16, 2009

The World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists (WCMP) is launching its first multi-donor giving circle—the “Hasanah Fund”—to develop and implement new, sustainable programs to combat world hunger and poverty.

The Fund will secure $100 million from philanthropists, foundations, and corporations in the next five years to fund long-term hunger eradication and poverty alleviation in 20 countries facing the ongoing food crisis. Funded projects will address not just the aggregate quantity of food that must be produced and distributed, but also how food is produced and by whom.

Hasanah Fund will complement the exemplary work of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Islamic Development Bank towards hunger, which is affecting over one billion people worldwide. “This initiative clearly demonstrates the enduring commitment of Muslim philanthropists to the social and economic upliftment of the poorest people,” says Dr. Tariq Cheema, CEO of WCMP.

S&P Outlines Factors That Could Affect Its View Of The Likelihood Of Government Support For Dubai-Based GREs

Press Release

DUBAI, October 15, 2009--A report published today by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services answers questions related to its view on the likelihood of extraordinary government support for Dubai-based government related entities (GREs), and what factors may affect this in the future (see "What Factors May Affect S&P's View Of The Likelihood Of Extraordinary Government Support For Dubai-Based GREs?").

Specifically, the report answers the following questions:

-- What are Standard & Poor's current expectations regarding the likelihood of extraordinary support from the Government of Dubai for its GREs?
-- What track record does the Government of Dubai have in supporting its GREs?
-- To what extent are the ratings affected by Dubai's challenging debt burden?
-- How might the GRE issuer credit ratings be affected by a restructuring of debt in an unrated GRE?
-- How might the Nakheel repayment affect the GRE issuer credit ratings?
-- Does Standard & Poor's believe the Government of Dubai has the resources to support its GREs?

HM Treasury: Legislative framework for the regulation of alternative finance investment bonds (Sukuk)

On 14 October 2009 HM Treasury published a feedback statement to the consultation regarding regulation of Sukuk.

The document summarises the responses received to the above consultation, and provides feedback on these.

Further feedback to HM Treasury is requested:

"We would welcome any further comments on the revised statutory instrument (including the consequential amendments). As we have already conducted a full three month consultation, we will allow for a further period of approximately one month for any additional comments to be sent. Please provide any comments by 6 November 2009."

The consultation document can be downloaded at the link below.

SCBP, PQFTL and FWU AG sign agreement to provide Takaful products through their network!

Press Release

Karachi, October 7: Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan (SCBP), the largest international Bank in Pakistan, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Pak-Qatar Family Takaful, Pakistan’s first and largest family Takaful operator, and FWU AG, a global facilitator of bancatakaful.

This agreement will lay the foundation for Standard Chartered to launch Pakistan’s first Shariah compliant Bancassurance (BancaTakaful) products across its branch network. These products will provide Standard Chartered’s customers with Long term Savings plans specifically catered to fulfill their future financial needs. In addition, the Takaful cover, will offer financial protection to families for the fulfillment of the above obligations in case the breadwinner is unable to do so due to untimely death. All this without having to compromise on their beliefs.

S&P: Abu Dhabi's TDIC Sukuk Ltd. Assigned prelimary rating 'AA'

Press Release of S&P:

We are assigning our preliminary 'AA' rating to TDIC Sukuk Ltd.'s certificates issuance program, under which it can issue up to $1.45 billion certificates (sukuk al-ijara).

The rating is equal to, and is fully reliant on, the rating on Tourism Development and Investment Company.

LONDON, October 1, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said it had assigned its preliminary 'AA' rating to TDIC Sukuk Ltd.'s certificates issuance program, under which it can issue up to $1.45 billion certificates (sukuk al-ijara). The rating is equal to, and is fully reliant on, the rating on Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC; AA/Stable/A-1+). The preliminary rating is based on information as of Oct. 1, 2009. Subsequent information may result in the assignment of final ratings that differ from the preliminary ratings.

Islamic Finance in North America

Yasaar media published a new report called Islamic Finance in North America 2009 for free download, which is co-published by Codexa Capital, UM Financial Group, King & Spalding, and Doha Islamic.

According to the report Islamic finance in North America has developed along two quite separate paths:

  • The first path focuses on retail Islamic finance and centres mostly on home financing products and credit cards.
  • The second path involves a number of high profile GCC-based Islamic investment banks and their deployment of hundreds of millions of dollars in private equity and real estate developments in North America.

Read the full report for free at the link below.

Free Report: Islamic Investment Banking

Yasaar Media published a report about Islamic Investment Banking for free download, with the co-publishers Unicorn Investment Bank, Doha Islamic covering data and principles regarding Private Equity, Venture Capital, syndicated lending, real estate, asset management, fund manageement, liquidity management, treasury, trade finance and capital markets in an Islamic context.

Special Issue - Call for Papers on Financial Crisis

The International Journal of Islamic & Middle Eastern Finance and Management has decided to publish a special issue of the journal, focusing on the latest financial crisis, and how this has related to Islamic financial institutions.

Other relevant points include:

  • Proposed title of the special issue: Islamic Financial Institutions and the Global Financial Crisis 2008/09.
  • Deadline for receiving papers: Friday, February 12th, 2010
  • Date of publication: fourth issue of Volume 3 (2010).
  • Papers will be reviewed in the normal fashion.
  • Technical notes will also be acceptable, and they will be assessed in the usual manner.
  • We are likely to have a total of five articles in the issue.
  • Books relevant to this major event can also be reviewed for the issue.
  • All branches of the Islamic financial services sector can be covered in materials within this issue, including banking, insurance (i.e. takaful), fund management, investment portfolios, business management etc.

Research Study: Food security in an environment of increasing scarcity

The research think tank of Deutsche Bank published recently a research study with the title:

"The global food equation"

stating the challenge for future food security. DB Research believes that still believes that the growing population can be fed, provided the recommended actions are taken, requiring innovation, and a change in the system of production and distribution along with sustained productivity growth in an environmental and socially sustainable manner.

The report can be downloaded for free.

Gassner's picture

Eid Mubarak

IslamicFinance.de wishes Eid Mubarak to all Muslims in the world. May our creator guide us in financial matters and structures and enlarge our knowledge.

The Editor

Michael Saleh Gassner

New Islamic bank: Warba Bank, Kuwait - shares distributed to Kuwaitis for free

The Cabinet's approval of a draft decree establishing Warba Bank, with a capital of KD 100 million of which a 76 % stake will be held by citizens and subscribed to on their behalf by the government and 24 % of its stocks held by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).

KuveytTürk receives branch license in Germany

KuveytTürk, the Turkish Islamic bank, has received according to Turkish media a license to operate as a financial service branch.

BNP Paribas aims to raise USD 300 mn for Private Equity Fund

French bank BNP Paribas may raise as much as USD 300 mn for a Gulf-based private equity fund, according to a Reuters report. The fund has been set up to tap into opportunities arising from the financial crisis.

Tharawat to raise USD 100 mn in 2009 for sukuk fund

Bahrain-based Islamic investment house Tharawat said it plans to raise USD 100 million by year-end for a sukuk fund it recently launched to focus on bargains on the secondary market.

Tharawat was established in July 2008 with a paid-up capital of $33 million.

Kuwait central bank appoints monitor for Investment Dar

Kuwait's central bank appointed a temporary supervisor to monitor debt restructuring and compilation of financial results at Islamic firm Investment Dar.

NBAD plans first ETF

National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) plans to launch the Middle East’s first exchange-traded fund to try to attract more international investors. The fund, known as an ETF, will be listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in two months, a senior NBAD official said. It will be licensed by a leading global index provider and will track some of the Gulf’s 50 biggest stocks, said Giyas Gokkent, NBAD’s co-head of asset management and chief economist.

Syndicate content