IslamicFinance.de

The people of West Java also showed their support by injecting Rp 106 billion into the bank. Although its business was not too bright in its early days, the bank recorded a profit of Rp 372.5 billion in the second quarter of 2009. The achievement of Bank Muamalat is proof of the great potential of sharia banking in Indonesia. Sharia banking is based on Islamic law.

Bank Indonesia data reveals there are currently five sharia banks operating in the country, namely Bank Syariah Mandiri, Bank Muamalat Indonesia, Bank Syariah Mega, Bank Syariah Bukopin and Bank Syariah BRI. Twenty-six other banks have sharia banking units, such as Bank Permata, Bank BNI, Bank CIMB-Niaga, Bank Danamon and BPD DKI.

The Acting Governor of Bank Indonesia said that banks based on Islamic law are predicted to enjoy further growth in 2010. Darmin added that sharia banks would continue to flourish due to the organic growth within existing banks and the establishment of new sharia banks and unit.

A muscular banking sector will make or break whether Iraq is to rebuild and prosper.

Iraq's financial architecture to support a growing, privatised economy is a bottom-up operation. The country remains a cash economy with a thriving black market. Private banks are thin on the ground, lending is sparse and there is no ingrained credit culture.

Local focus

In terms of commercial banking in the country, the landscape is principally local Iraqi banks and joint-venture banks. Products offered are in four main areas: remittances/cash transfers and some foreign exchange; trade finance; commercial lending; and securities and stockmarket trading. Activity in all of these areas is fairly limited.

Lending potential

IslamicFinance.de is calling Islamic financial institutions to become member of the UNEP Finance Inititiave to learn and contribute to international best practice in ethical and faith based finance:

"UNEP FI is a global partnership between UNEP and the financial sector. Over 180 institutions, including banks, insurers and fund managers, work with UNEP to understand the impacts of environmental and social considerations on financial performance."

membership information package:
http://www.unepfi.org/fileadmin/forms/MembershipInformationPack.pdf

Press Release

• The improvement in the liquidity position of Bahrain-based Islamic wholesale investment bank Gulf Finance House proved to be more limited, in our view, than we had previously expected.
• We consider the recent unexpected departure of the CEO and the end to talks about a joint venture with Macquarie to be additional challenges to revenue generation.
• We are lowering our long-term rating on GFH to 'B+' from 'BB+' and placing it on CreditWatch with negative implications.
• The negative implications reflect the uncertainties we see about the execution of GFH's measures to improve funding and liquidity.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) Jan. 14, 2010--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its long-term counterparty credit rating on Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House G.S.C. (GFH) to 'B+' from 'BB+' and affirmed its 'B' short-term rating. In addition, we placed both the long- and short-term ratings on CreditWatch with negative implications.

Dubai Islamic Bank DISB.DU has not witnessed any significant withdrawals by despositors after news of Dubai World restructuring shook global markets, the lender's financial chief said on Tuesday.

Ajman Bank, the emirate’s first Islamic commercial bank, has officially announced the appointment of their new Head of Finance Division, Seifeldin Abdelkareem. With a career in the financial field spanning twenty eight years, Abdelkareem has a multitude of experience to contribute as new Head of Finance.

The GCC Takaful report caters to investors looking for investment opportunities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Takaful (Islamic Insurance) industry. The focus of the report is on opportunities and challenges for growth of the industry, industry trends, financial performance, valuations, stock liquidity and governance & transparency.

Alpen Capital expects the GCC Takaful industry:

• to grow at a CAGR of approximately 16.1% per annum in 2009 to 2012.

• to continue to grow faster than conventional insurance.

Full details of the findings are in the report for download at the below source.

An online survey by ReadiMinds has revealed that internal frauds in the banking sector remain a major source of concern in the Middle East region.

Turkmenistan, Central Asia's largest gas producer, is getting $1 billion loan from a group of state-run funds from the GCC countries and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), to finance infrastructure projects in the country, Reuters reported.

NASDAQ Dubai welcomes the announcement made today by Dubai Financial Market (DFM), by which DFM has made an offer to acquire NASDAQ Dubai, subject to regulatory approvals. Under the new ownership structure, DFM and NASDAQ Dubai will develop closer operational links.

Tamweel's short-term issuer rating was lowered to Baa3/P-3 from Baa1/P-2; negative outlook.

Geneva-based Faisal Private Bank has warned it could face foreclosure on parts of its real estate portfolio unless investors stump up cash to keep lenders at bay, documents seen by Reuters show.

Kuwait Finance House (M) Bhd (KFH) has refuted YNH Property Bhd’s claim that it is in a legally binding agreement with the latter and can be made liable for backing out of a deal to purchase Menara YNH, a 45-storey office tower worth RM920mil.

Global Shariah Shipping Fund, jointly sponsored by Cyprus-listed SFS Group and Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) and Global Shipping Investments Management Ltd (equally owned company by SFS and KFHAM), is being launched with the aim of raising $150 mln for the acquisition of offshore vessels and other types of ship.

The Islamic Bank of Asia (IBA), a unit of DBS, said its CEO Vince Cook has quit for personal reasons and Friday is his last day with the bank.

A consortium of four banks namely, National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, Arab African International Bank, and Banque du Caire arranged, underwrote and syndicated a facility for the Egyptian Nitrogen Products Company (ENPC). Faisal Islamic Bank was among the co-arrangers.

The UK Government has committed to create a level playing field on VAT for retail investors in Islamic finance products. In his Pre-Budget Report statement, the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, says he will also provide relief from tax on capital gains for alternative property refinance transactions to maintain the UK's position as a centre for Islamic finance.

In addition, guidance will be issued on VAT treatment of alternative finance investment bonds.

Australia's wealth of natural resources and financial landscape provide a natural platform for Islamic finance, with potential to attract a new type of global investors. Trailing Muslim neighbours such as Malaysia and Indonesia, Australia is looking at developing Islamic finance to attract wealth and create jobs.

The Australian and Malaysian governments held talks this week to cooperate in Islamic finance. The Australian government has expressed interest in Islamic finance but so far it is limited to small entities such as the Muslim Community Cooperative (Australia) Ltd and Iskan Finance which offer home loans. One of the biggest obstacles to the development of Australia's Islamic finance market is tax law.

The Financial Times produced a special looking into the Future of Islamic Finance.

The download is free of charge.

Press Release

Several Dubai Government-Related Entities Downgraded And On Watch Negative Following
Debt Restructuring Announcement

DUBAI (Standard & Poor's) Nov. 25, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it
had taken rating actions on a number of Dubai-based government related entities
(GREs) and transactions (for full details see "Ratings List" below). Standard &
Poor's has downgraded DIFC Investments LLC, DP World Ltd., Jebel Ali Free Zone
(FZE), Dubai Holding Commercial Operations Group LLC (DHCOG), and Emaar Properties
PJSC. All of these entities have been placed on CreditWatch with negative
implications. The ratings on Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC) were
affirmed, although they were placed on CreditWatch negative. A CreditWatch negative
placement also applies to the notes issued by Thor Asset Purchase (Cayman) Ltd.
(Thor), which are securitized by cash flows from a revolving pool of existing and
future receivables originated by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA; not
rated).

The rating actions are the result of the announcement on Nov. 25 of the