IslamicFinance.de

Safa Investment Services received this week its official certification for Shari'a compliance from Shariyah Review Bureau. It makes Safa Investment Services the first Islamic global asset management business in the world. Safa permits customers to benefit from global asset diversification of their managed accounts, but with a complete respect for the principles of Islamic law. This includes not only selecting securities that meet global regulatory standards, but also the process to manage accounts and the contracts under which they are managed.

DanaInfra Nasional Bhd (DINB) has extended the offer period and upped the indicative profit rate of its Exchange Traded Bonds and Sukuk (ETBS), also known as DanaInfra Retail Sukuk for retail investors. The move is intended to attracting more investors to take up the new asset class. The offer period will now close on January 25th. Meanwhile, the indicative profit rate, previously at a minimum of 3.7% a year, has been altered to 4% a year. The money raised from the DanaInfra Retail Sukuk will be partially used to fund the MRT project which is worth RM15 billion.

In 2012, Qatar’s banking sector was buttressed by high oil and gas prices and a large-scale infrastructure programme. The banking sector continuously benefits from substantial GDP growth in the economy of the country. Real GDP reached 19% in 2011. This increase was caused by strength in oil prices and the substantial increase in LNG production to 75mnt (from 55mnt). The latter was able to drive hydrocarbon sector GDP up by more than 30%. The output of the non-hydrocarbon sector continued its growth as well, sustaining a 9% rate due to ongoing capital expenditure on infrastructure development.

Dear Reader,

Islamic finance had another great year. Many of its market segments progressed, like for example the Sukuk market gaining more maturity. Despite the ongoing debt crisis a good sign of hope and happiness.

Nevertheless we are - as an industry - still not satisfied with the achievements. Islamic finance shall grow stronger in terms of social impact and in terms of substance:

Hence, please allow me to re-iterate my call for participating in international initiatives beyond just our own industry to learn and spread knowledge and experience:

Calling Islamic financial institutions to become member of the United Nations Finance Initiative
http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=node/811

Inshallah we see more Islamic financial institutions taking a lead in SRI, Social Impact Investing and other approaches while contributing with Islamic finance knowdledge to the conventional industry. The time is now; and there are signs that Malaysia aims for a lead:
http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=node/4151

It is estimated that the total Islamic assets of the UAE are worth $75 billion. This sum puts the country on the third place regarding the global market for the Shariah-based banking industry. The worldwide assets in this area are expected to reach $1.8 trillion in 2013. The world's leader in Islamic assets is Saudi Arabia with an estimated total of $207 billion for 2011. The Islamic banking industry continues its rise as the top 20 Islamic banks grew 16% in the past three years.

Dear Reader,

The German language book on Islamic finance by the Editor of IslamicFinance.de and Dr Wackerbeck from Booz Consultants is now translated to Chinese.

Please find the biographical information below:

Authors: Michael Gassner / Philipp Wackerbeck
Title: Islamic Finance – Islam-gerechte Finanzanlagen und
Finanzierungen
ISBN number: 978-7-5139-0217-5
PUBLISHER: Beijing - Democracy and Construction Press
Pre-Publication Date: 2012.7

Full biographical details: http://db.lib.bua.edu.cn/asord/asorditem.php?asord_marc_no=0001344540

Orders: http://www.amazon.cn/%E4%BC%8A%E6%96%AF%E5%85%B0%E9%87%91%E8%9E%8D-%E7%B...

Book review about the German language original: http://www.rpi-virtuell.net/workspace/24686AD5-936C-476D-9EA0-65E2968590...

Best regards,

Michael Gassner

The expectations of Sedco Capital are that its assets under management will double during the next five years due to the company's expansion into new. The expansion plans are driven by the increasing demand from Shariah-compliant investors. The investment firm established an entity in Luxembourg in July 2012 aiming to expand its reach in the Shariah-compliant private equity, real estate and commodities space. Unlike most sharia-compliant firms, which operate on a regional basis, Sedco wants to go global.

According to the CEO of Amana Bank, Faizal Salieh, it is expected for the current $ 250 million of banking assets to rise to $ 1.5 billion in the coming years. About 8% of the country's population of 21.5 million people are Muslims. The strong demand for Islamic financial products comes not only from the Muslim population but from non-Muslims as well. Still at a preliminary stage, the local Islamic finance is nevertheless developing. The expected rapid growth of the local Islamic finance is attributed to the increased awareness of faith based concepts and the internalization of the financial markets.

Significant growth in the Islamic asset management industry was observed over the past ten years. Starting with structuring and launching of funds, it has developed to a more comprehensive wealth management service. However, the industry has not set its focus on the definition of a suitable asset allocation framework for Islamic investments yet. With the increase of the allocation to sukuk, the selected use of Shariah-compliant derivatives and a risk parity approach to asset allocation can become the foundation for a more effective Islamic portfolio management.

the new Chairman of the Securities Commission of Malaysia - Ranjit Ajit Singh - said he wanted to see the emergence of an internationalized single Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) asset class which would be able to compete with other major regional or global asset classes. He further added that internationalization of the Malaysian capital market as well as of ASEAN as a single asset class is necessary. The capital markets of all the member countries will profit from better and wider access due to success of ASEAN as a single asset class on the global stage.

Read more on: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20...

IslamicFinance.de offers an overview about new job openings of October 2012 herewith - firms aiming to be included please send a job profile/hyperlink to newsdesk@islamicfinance.de - the full details of the advert has to be accessed by the hyperlink below the brief description:

Product Manager, Islamic Banking

Standard Chartered Bank - United Arab Emirates-SCB (United Arab Emirates)
Job Description
?Development of Islamic wealth products across CBMS, insurance and investment streams to create customer value proposition.
?Ensure successful implementation of the Islamic banking strategy across high value segment.
?Concentrated responsibility to work with the Priority/Wealth/Private/SME product/frontline teams and support functions to build on the current Islamic banking capabilities and to create seamless customer experience
?Act as a product specialist for RMs on client meetings to introduce and explain the Saadiq solutions to meet their needs
?Financial budgeting and business forecast. Evaluation of financial performance.

The first Islamic arbitration rules in the world were introduced last month by the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA). They are expected to enable further expansion of Islamic finance with total global assets. The value of the assets is now estimated to lie between US$1.2 trillion (RM3.72 trillion) to US$1.3 trillion (RM4.03 trillion). The new rules concern conventional as well as syariah-compliant commercial transactions and contracts. With the new rules, a complete syariah-compliant process for relevant parties to a dispute is possible.

It is expected that by 2015 global Islamic financial assets will double their amount and reach the mark of $3tn. These expectations are based on the fact that demand for the securities in the Gulf Co-operation Council and Malaysia lures issuers to the market. A classic imbalance between demand and offer in the Islamic finance can be observed, which is driven by demand. Yields on sukuk and paying returns on assets have reached a record low in the current month.

More on: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=533484...

According to the IFIA, CIMB-Principal Islamic Asset Management has become the first Malaysian firm to launch funds from Dublin. Thus it is reinforcing the position of the domicile as Europe's leading funds centre. The start of the CIMB-Principal Islamic Irish Ucits fund range follows the constitution of CIMB-Principal Islamic Asset Management (Ireland).

Dear Reader,

IslamicFinance.de is privately funded for many years. Now, for the first time, you have the possibility to make a contribution, from one Dollar upwards!

The technical details, and the money transfer via paypal is organised by Kapipal a new online fundraising tool:

http://www.kapipal.com/islamicfinance

On the blog I gave some more thoughts about Islamic finance media for those interested: http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=node/3454

Please also note: The fundraising action has a deadline, so act today, not tomorrow and tell your friends about it!

All donors who will leave a message will be listed in the article, which follows after closure of the fundraising period.

I am happy to meet you in person either on 19th March in Milano (http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=node/3396) or on 10th May in Frankfurt (http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=BAFINII) at the respective Islamic finance conference.

Wa at Taufiq min Allah, all the best,

Michael Saleh Gassner

Dear Readers,

Islamic finance media are a tricky service. This is true for various reasons: The Internet eats up the revenues, because everything ought to be free. Islamic banks are still a niche phenomena, and international banks like UBS or Deutsche are almost as large as the entire global Islamic finance industry. Consequently the marketing budgets are much lower, too.

Last not least, who should advertise? The banks among themselves or to the clients? Advertising from bank to bank, does usually not make much sense, but real client oriented formats are hard to find, too. May be this is a niche. Others, who could finance Islamic finance media are basically the service providers to the banks, but due to the limited number of Islamic financial insitutions, direct marketing, e.g. face to face meetings will be preferred.

This in short is the background why Islamic finance media are not so well established in terms of journalism and research, but mostly reflecting the press release as criticised by the makers of the Islamic Globe. See: http://www.theislamicglobe.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article...

The 2nd Quarter 2011 issue of the Malaysian ICM quarterly bulletin published by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is now available online at:
http://www.sc.com.my/eng/html/icm/11_2Q_msianicm.pdf

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "Islamic Asset Management Industry - Investment Analysis" to their offering.
This research service titled Islamic Asset Management Industry - Investment Analysis deals with the global Islamic asset management industry, with a brief focus on countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and related investment themes.
In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine mutual funds, private equity, and venture capital.

Al Meezan Investment Management Ltd, the largest Shariah compliant asset management company has achieved another milestone of having assets under management of over Rs 25 billion.
In addition to healthy and competitive returns on their investments, the clients of Al Meezan have the added comfort of investing in an AMC with strong sponsors, credible Shariah advisors, professional fund managers, and a carefully selected Shariah compliant portfolio of investments.