JPMorgan Touts Nakheels Sukuk Saying Default Doubtful: Islamic Finance

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is advising clients to buy Nakheel PJSC’s Islamic bonds as new projects boost the Dubai developer’s earnings, while government backing makes a default improbable. State-run Nakheel’s 4.27 billion dirhams ($1.2 billion) of sukuk yielded 9.88 percent at 12:30 p.m. in Dubai, down seven basis points this month, after surging 179 basis points in June. That’s more than twice the average gain in yields on corporate Islamic debt tracked by HSBC/Nasdaq Dubai indexes. JPMorgan listed Nakheel in a July 4 research note as its “top overweight recommendation” among Dubai real-estate debt. Nakheel will manage to pay or refinance as much as half of the $3 billion of debt due in 2016 as it generates at least $1 billion from new projects and land sales.