Times of Oman

Alizz-OAB #merger to provide customers with better services

The upcoming proposed merger between Alizz Islamic Bank and Oman Arab Bank (OAB) will provide customers with better services and more outlets. Al Yusr Islamic Banking, Oman Arab Bank’s Islamic window with all its branches and staff will become part of Alizz Islamic, which will remain as a fully licensed Islamic bank. Under this merger, Alizz Islamic Bank will be fully owned under Oman Arab Bank and will see the former continue to operate as an Islamic bank, with its services available to all existing customers, as well as OAB customers. The latter, however, will continue to function as a conventional bank.

GCC bonds, #sukuk issuance rises by 10 per cent

The aggregate primary issuance of bonds and sukuk by GCC entities increased by 9.64 per cent to $95.25 billion in first half of 2018, compared to the same period in 2017.

#Kuwait's KFH invites #Bahrain's AUB to begin due diligence

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) invited Bahrain's Ahli United Bank (AUB) to begin a due diligence process for a potential merger. KFH also asked AUB to sign a non-disclosure agreement. If the merger goes ahead, it would be the latest of several recent tie-ups to create bigger and stronger lenders in an over-banked region. If the merger proceeds, the total assets of the two banks would be $90.57 billion, making it the sixth largest bank in the Gulf. The agreement to begin due diligence demonstrates seriousness in the deal process and backing from the lenders' major shareholders. The major shareholders in the two lenders are Kuwait state-owned entities.

Al Madina #Takaful names new CEO

#Oman's Al Madina Takaful announced the appointment of Usama Al Barwani as chief executive officer (CEO). Al Barwani was the acting CEO. He was one of the key people involved in transforming the company from a traditional insurance company into Oman’s first takaful insurance company. With a strong track-record of success, the company was recently awarded the Best Arab Company in the insurance category and he was also the recipient of the Best Arabian 100 CEO Award. Al Barwani has a degree in Strategic Management and Leadership ED (CMI) and has a Post Graduate Diploma in HRM in Information System Management and Education (CABA, Canada).

Mazoon Electricity raises $500m from debut #sukuk issue

#Oman's Mazoon Electricity Company successfully priced its debut $500 million 10-year Sukuk offering. The Sharia-compliant Ijara structure was adopted for issue of the Sukuk Certificates and the profit rate was set 5.20%. The final order book had $5 billion from 300 orders, representing more than 10 times oversubscription. The final order book distribution by geography comprised of 47% from the Mena region, 17% Asian investors, 23% from European investors and 13% from US investors. The transaction marks the first international corporate Sukuk issue out of the Sultanate. The issuance is rated Baa2 (Negative) by Moody’s and BBB (Negative) by Fitch. A comprehensive global roadshow was conducted in Asia, UAE, London, Boston and New York. Mazoon CEO Zahir Abdulla Al Abri attributes the success of the Sukuk to the regulatory mechanism, support of the Government and consistent growth of the company.

#Sharjah hires #HSBC to set up US #dollar #sukuk #programme

Sources say, the emirate of Sharjah has hired HSBC to set up a US-dollar sukuk programme because its government is looking into borrowing to reduce its budget deficit. A first issuance under the newly set sukuk programme is expected in the 4th quarter 2017 according to sources. HSBC has not yet commented on this. The government of Sharjah did not respond either.
Sharjah debted capital market before, having issued a $750 million 10-year sukuk in 2014 and a $500 million 5-year sukuk in January 2016. Sharjah is rated BBB+ by Standard & Poor's. The agency affirmed its credit rating and outlook last month, citing Sharjah' social and political stability, and the emirate's low external risks derived from its membership in the United Arab Emirates. The rating however is constrained by the emirate's limited monetary flexibility, due to the fact that the UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, and the underdeveloped domestic bond market, S&P said.

#Bank #Nizwa #launches Sharia-compliant #wealth #management service

Oman‘s Bank Nizwa just launched its new wealth management services in order to provide high net worth clients with the most effective Islamic financial solutions to grow funds. The banks customers will have access to a full range of tailored products and services to cater to their exclusive needs, amongst them direct access to a relationship manager, Mudaraba Investment Options, and other value-added benefits.

#Tax provisions related to Islamic finance transactions

The Central Bank of #Oman and the Capital Market Authority allow Islamic financial institutions to follow the standards issued by the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). AAIOFI’s financial accounting standards differ from International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The differences between AAOIFI and IFRS standards have necessitated specific tax provisions for Islamic Finance Transactions (IFTs). To achieve this, a new chapter has been inserted in the income tax law of 2009. The chapter provides a framework to determine the tax liabilities of parties to an IFT. According to the new tax chapter, income includes any sum received in lieu of interest. The tax provisions also clarify that any partnerships designed solely to comply with Sharia will be disregarded. The latest tax law states that the financial statements can be prepared based on IFRS or any other similar standards approved by the Secretary General of Taxation (SGT). Institutions who have prepared their financial statements based on AAOIFI standards will have to reconcile their tax returns with the SGT.

#Saudi readies debut dollar #sukuk with US risk disclosure

Saudi Arabia has included a disclosure on credit risk retention requirements in the prospectus of a debut dollar sukuk which is expected to issue this week and could total $10 billion. The disclosure to comply with the US Dodd-Frank Act has not been made for other sovereign sukuk issues. The US retention rule was set to align the interests of issuers of asset backed securities (ABS) with those of ABS investors by asking the sponsor of an ABS securitisation. Sukuk are generally asset-based, but in order to comply with the rules, Saudi Arabia will purchase at least 5% of the aggregate principal amount of each tranche it issues. Saudi Arabia began meeting investors on Sunday ahead of the deal, the second debt sale by the kingdom, which made its debut in the international debt markets last year with a record $17.5 billion bond.

Bank Muscat’s #sukuk issue expected this month, says official

Towards the end of this month Bank Muscat is expected to raise OMR23-30 million, which is the first tranche of Meethaq’s OMR100 million-sukuk programme. Meethaq is Bank Muscat’s pioneer Islamic banking window in Oman. The bank has already received an initial approval from stock market regulator Capital Market Authority (CMA). Bank Muscat's Deputy CEO Sulaiman Al Harthy said the sukuk programme starts with a small amount, maybe OMR25-30 million to test the market and see the market appetite. Al Harthy also noted that this year, Islamic financial institutions are expected to grow at a similar rate as seen last year. Meethaq Islamic financing receivables rose to OMR855 million by end-December 2016, compared to OMR635 million in the same period in 2015.

Source: 

http://timesofoman.com/article/104732/Business/Bank-Muscat's-sukuk-issue-expected-this-month-says-official

Global #sukuk market to remain subdued this year: S&P

According to Standard & Poor’s (S&P), global sukuk issuance fell short of market expectations last year, although it was higher than in 2015. The sukuk market will remain subdued in 2017, since the issuance process is still quite complex. S&P Global Ratings' Global Head of Islamic Finance Dr. Mohamed Damak said the sukuk market did not play a countercyclical role in core Islamic finance markets in 2016 and a stabilisation of total issuance in 2017 is forecasted at around $60 billion-$65 billion. Standard & Poor’s do not foresee a substantial increase in sukuk issuance in the GCC this year. The rating agency thinks that some member countries might take the Islamic finance route alongside a conventional one. Bahrain will most likely remain a prominent player after issuing $3.2 billion of sukuk in 2016. Other GCC members will probably tap the market in 2017.

Alizz Islamic Bank’s financing portfolio grows 62%

Financing portfolio of Alizz Islamic Bank (AIB) reached OMR275.9 million in the third quarter of 2016, registering a growth of 62.4%, compared to the same period last year. Deposits grew by OMR123.4 million from the same period last year representing a growth of 84.7% and net operating income grew by 57.2% from the same period last year to reach OMR6.7million. Due to the increase in income, cost controls and monitoring of financing quality, the net loss of the bank reduced by 19.1% to reach OMR3.4 million. According to CEO Salaam Al Shaksy, the bank achieved stable growth, while maintaining a strong asset quality. Alizz Islamic Bank is one of the first specialised Islamic banks in Oman, that has consolidated its presence within a short period of time.

Islamic finance in Oman poised for solid growth: Bank Nizwa CEO

Islamic financial institutions in Oman are expected to achieve a healthy growth in the banking sector in the near future, said Dr Jamil El Jaroudi, chief executive officer of Bank Nizwa. He also said that Bank Nizwa will open new branches in the Sultanate by the end of the year. The bank was able to reach breakeven in December after three years of operations. In order to reach more potential clients, a mobile branch will travel all-around the Sultanate offering a host of products, services and also make the people aware on the benefits of Islamic banking. The truck’s journey will start from the governorate of Muscat, moving on to Dakhiliyah, Al Sharqiya, Dhofar, Al Batinah and Al Buraimi.

Malaysia plans Islamic bond sales

Islamic bond sales are off to a racing start this year as Malaysia plans to tap the market following Indonesia’s $2.5 billion issue, which was more than three times oversubscribed. Global sukuk offerings of $11.3 billion are already 30 per cent more than the first quarter of last year and are approaching the $12 billion for the same period of 2014. Malaysia reportedly selected JPMorgan Chase, CIMB Group, Malayan Banking and HSBC to arrange investor meetings for as early as the end of next week. In a sign of the demand that Malaysia’s government debt is attracting, a 4 billion ringgit ($998 million) sale of 10-year local-currency Islamic notes on Wednesday garnered a bid-to- cover ratio of 3.2 times.

Islamic banks’ market share in Oman set to touch 10% by 2018

Oman’s Islamic financial institutions are showing robust growth with the value of gross assets touching OMR2.25 billion by the end of 2015, accounting for a 7.45 per cent market share of the total banking industry, said Hamoud Sangour Al Zadjali, executive president of the Central Bank of Oman (CBO). Islamic banks and window operations are expected to ramp up this market share to 10 per cent of the entire banking industry by 2018. The CBO chief said gross finance had also grown to touch OMR1.78 billion by 2015-end, indicating a market share of 8.86 per cent. All these achievements were reported within a short span of about three years, despite teething problems faced by these institutions.

Source: 

http://timesofoman.com/article/79025/Business/Islamic-banks'-market-share-in-Oman-set-to-touch-10-by-2018

Omani firms plan sukuk issue

Several companies in Oman, including a real estate developer, are planning to issue sukuk or Islamic debt instrument. A real estate company has already approached the market regulator Capital Market Authority for floating a sukuk issue for its second phase development, said Abdullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority (CMA). However, he declined to name the real estate company that is trying to raise funds by way of a sukuk issue. Al Salmi said that the banks may face liquidity problem and the financial institutions have to issue either sukuk or bond for raising funds to avoid an asset-liability mismatch.

Omantel sukuk evokes strong response

Book-building process for the Omantel sukuk via private placement is currently being done. The proposed OMR50 million issuance is the country’s first multi-denominated sukuk, offered in both Omani rials and US dollars. The bankers have been holding one-on-one meetings with key investors, and said that the issuance is gathering pace amongst both Omani and international investors. The sukuk will have a tenor of 5 years and mature in 2021. The minimum subscription amount for the sukuk is OMR100,000 or $260,000. The profit rate on the sukuk will be set through a uniform price auction and will be finalised upon closing of the subscription period. Interested investors can get further information on the sukuk from the Investment Banking Division of National Bank of Oman who are acting as the issue manager and collecting bank. Subscription closes on January 26.

China’s foreign reserves post record quarterly drop

China’s foreign-exchange reserves fell by a record in the third quarter as the central bank sold dollars to support the yuan after a surprise August 11 devaluation sparked the currency’s steepest slide in two decades. The stockpile plunged by $180 billion in the three months through September to $3.51 trillion. The hoard shrank $43.3 billion in September, less than the $57 billion predicted in a survey, suggesting the pace of central bank intervention has eased. The central bank has this year lowered the proportion of deposits that lenders must lock away in an effort to offset capital outflows and intervention to support the yuan.

Source: 

http://timesofoman.com/article/69148/Business/China's-foreign-reserves-post-record-quarterly-drop

Lifting of sanctions will boost Islamic finance in Iran: S&P

The agreement Iran has reached regarding its nuclear programme could bring about its eventual economic rebound, and help boost Islamic finance, according to a report published by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services titled ‘Lifting sanctions augurs well for Iran's economy and the growth of Islamic finance’. Iran agreed the joint comprehensive plan of action with the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US plus Germany) in July. If the agreement is approved and Iran meets all deliverables, sanctions may start to lift in the first half of 2016. The World Bank estimates this would help Iran's oil exports rebound to pre-2012 sanction levels within 8-12 months. Sanctions lifting could also restore Iran's access to the global financial markets.

Islamic windows should become full subsidiaries: Bank Nizwa CEO

More full-fledged Islamic banks are needed and the Islamic banking services of conventional banks should be converted into full subsidiaries if Oman were to fully embrace the Islamic finance concept in its entirety, says Dr Jamil El Jaroudi, CEO at Bank Nizwa. It would also eliminate potential regulatory arbitrage between conventional banking and Islamic banking that could harm or raise doubt on the Sharia aspects, he added. The Islamic windows' cost of doing business and relying on their parent banks’ infrastructure resulted in a disadvantage for the business of fully-fledged banks. Nonetheless, the windows have yet to reach their critical sizes to be able to justify conversion into standalone banks.

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