IslamicFinance.de

Mashreq’s Islamic banking division, Mashreq Al Islami, has launched its flagship Islamic Equity Fund, Al Islami Arab Tigers Fund. The fund will facilitate investment in a diversified portfolio of growth and dividend stocks in the MENA region. The Al Islami Arab Tigers Fund will invest in listed equities of companies that comply with Shariah law values. Mashreq fund manager Reda Gomma said that given the spending spree by MENA governments to upgrade their infrastructure, corporate earnings are poised to grow substantially over the medium to long term. Al Islami Arab Tigers is a well regulated fund and is a good opportunity for investors to benefit from growing economies in the Middle East, Gomma added.

The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) has asked half a dozen European banks to submit their official records pertaining to their financial dealings with Turkey's Uzan family. The six banks covered by the order are France based BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and Credit Agricole; Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank of Germany and Standard Chartered. The state banking regulator is investigating the case over the illegal business dealings with Uzans. Standard Chartered assured its full co-operation with the regulators, while representatives of the other European banks either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

Dubai Financial Group (DFG) has agreed to divest of its 30.5% stake in Bank Islam to BIMB Holdings in Malaysia, in a deal worth $550m. BIMB Holdings currently owns 49% stake of Bank Islam and the recent acquisition, which completed on 31 July 2013, will enable it to strengthen its banking business in the country. Bank Islam manages a branch network of more than 127 offices. Following DFG's acquisition, the total assets of the lender rose from MYR14.6bn ($ 4.5bn) in 2006 to MYR37.4bn ($11.5bn) by the end of 2012. In June this year, the company divested its credit card operation The Dubai First to Abu Dhabi based First Gulf Bank (FGB) in a deal reached at $164m.