GCC issues $3.2b sukuk in third quarter

A study conducted by National Commercial Bank (NCB) showes that Gulf Cooperation Council member countries launched bonds worth around $20.9 billion in the first nine months of 2011, slightly lower than their value in the same period of 2010.
It added that even though the general mood of the sukuk market has turned very positive, new mainstream primary activity (closed issuances) in the Gulf was still restricted to four corporate issuances with an aggregate value of just under $1.6 billion, not an impressive figure by historical standards but more than 10 times the total conventional issuance seen during the quarter.