Sukuk

#Green #sukuk set for exciting time

The green bond industry has achieved phenomenal growth since its beginning in 2007. Today, leading corporations in various sectors tap into green bonds to raise funding. Toyota revolutionised the green bond market by introducing the auto industry’s first-ever AssetBacked Green Bond in 2014. In May 2016, the London Taxi Co issued a US$400 million (RM1.56 billion) green bond to finance projects, enabling the production of zero-emission-capable vehicles. The first green sukuk was issued in July 2017 by Tadau Energy, with an issuance of RM250 million Green SRI Sukuk to finance a large-scale solar project. Subsequently in October 2017, Quantum Solar Park Malaysia issued its green SRI sukuk worth RM1 billion to finance the construction of three large-scale solar photovoltaic plants. The green sukuk market is expected to grow further in 2018 and beyond. However, the sukuk industry will have to face a twofold challenge. Firstly to convince the issuers to adopt the Shariah-compliant route, secondly to achieve critical mass for the green sukuk market in order to achieve optimal costs of issuance and enable a liquid secondary market trading.

Dubai Islamic Bank issues $1 billion senior unsecured #Sukuk

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has announced the successful pricing of $1 billion Sukuk issued with a five-year tenor. The issuance carries a profit rate of 3.625% and is the first dollar benchmark Sukuk transaction from the GCC in 2018. The orderbook was driven by strong demand across the globe, including Middle East, Europe, Asia and North America, and across a broad spectrum of investors base. According to DIB's Group CEO Dr. Adnan Chilwan, the strong investor interest demonstrates not only the continued attraction of DIB, but also the resilience of the Sukuk market in general. Bank ABC, Dubai Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, HSBC, J.P.Morgan, KFH Capital, Sharjah Islamic Bank and Standard Chartered Bank acted as Joint Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners while Union National Bank and Boubyan Bank acted as Co-Managers on the offering.

First Abu Dhabi Bank mandates banks for dollar #sukuk - sources

First Abu Dhabi Bank has appointed banks to lead a U.S. dollar-denominated sukuk issue. Citi, First Abu Dhabi Bank, KFH Capital, NCB Capital and Standard Chartered will lead the deal, which has a five-year tenor. The sukuk is expected to be of benchmark size, which generally means upwards of $500 million. The bank, formed by a merger of National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, is tapping the sukuk market to diversify its funding sources. The planned debt sale would be part of the bank's $2.5 billion sukuk programme.

Mudajaya unit issues #sukuk

Mudajaya Group’s unit, Sinar Kamiri, has issued its RM245mil green SRI sukuk wakalah. The coupon rate is between 4.96% and 6.35% per year and the coupon will be payable semi-annually. Proceeds from the issuance of the sukuk will be utilised for the development of a large-scale solar photovoltaic energy-generating facility of 49MW in Perak. The company stated that the issuance of the sukuk is not expected to have any material effect on the net assets and earnings per share of Mudajaya for the financial year 2018. However, the gearing and interest cost for Mudajaya are expected to increase for FY18 and onwards.

Al Rayan Bank plans 250 mln pound mortgage-backed #sukuk

Al Rayan Bank has mandated banks to raise 250 million pounds ($352 million) via sukuk, using a residential mortgage-backed securitisation. Al Rayan has appointed Standard Chartered and Masraf Al Rayan to arrange investor meetings. The sukuk would help fund Al Rayan's ongoing efforts to expand into commercial real estate, private banking and financing for small- and medium-sized businesses. The portfolio would consist of Home Purchase Plans secured by residential properties, with a current pool balance of approximately 300 million pounds. The sukuk would securitise contracts known as diminishing musharakah with ijara finance, akin to reducing co-ownership arrangements, secured by residential properties located in England and Wales.

S&P sees uncertain outlook for global #Sukuk market in 2018 as #Nigeria relishes success in first attempt

The favourable outcome of Nigeria’s first Sukuk issuance suggests that it is as a veritable financing option for the country. However, global rating agency Standard & Poor’s says its outlook for the market remains uncertain in 2018. According to S&P analysts, total issuance will likely decline to $70 billion-$80 billion in 2018 from the over $97 billion recorded in 2017. The analysts noted three main reasons for their expectations including a likely tightening in global liquidity, mounting geopolitical risks and slow progress on the standardization of Islamic products. They expect that the cost of funding for issuers will rise and that liquidity from developed markets channeled to the sukuk market will reduce. A major concern is the slow pace of standardization of Islamic finance products.

#Turkey: Lease Certificates As #Sukuk Financing Model In Turkey

Although Turkey had its first sukuk issuance in 2011, Sukuk has not been used as a financing model due to deficiencies in its legal framework. In 2013 new types of lease certificates have been introduced. Lease Certificate is defined as a security which is issued by an asset lease company (ALC) for the purpose of financing all kinds of assets and rights. Lease certificates may be issued by sales through or without public offering or in the form of private placement or sales to qualified investors. The lease certificates may be issued by ALCs, which have to be formed as joint stock companies. Lease certificates, sale of movables, immovable and intangible assets to ALC, sale back of these assets to the originator, all the hypothec transactions, the papers issued due to the lease of such assets are exempted from the stamp tax. Gains from the sale of the asset by Originator to ALC, and later by ALC to Originator, are exempted from corporate tax, regardless of the holding period of the asset.

Inherent tension in #sukuk market, says analyst

The Dana Gas controversy has shown that Sharia-compliance driven structural complexity can expose investors to legal risks that do not apply to conventional instruments. The industry has struggled to harmonise, given the fractured nature of the Islamic capital markets. Most current market participants seek to replicate the risk, return and rating profile of the corresponding conventional instrument. In the current sukuk market there exists an inherent tension between the underlying equity and asset financing principles encouraged by Islam and the current investor/issuer demand for a debt-like instrument. If implemented, standards would reduce the costs for investors and issuers. Issuers can re-use already endorsed market structures saving costs and hence encouraging them to issue more.

Emirates picking eight banks to arrange US$1b #sukuk: sources

Emirates airlines has mandated eight banks to manage a sukuk sale to raise about US$1 billion. Mandated banks include HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citigroup, BNP Paribas, Emirates NBD, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Noor Bank. Emirates will join a list of regional issuers seeking funding before expected increases in US interest rates push up borrowing costs. Emirates typically raises financing each year from a combination of commercial loans, operating leases and export credit agency backed facilities. It last sold a bond in 2015, when it raised US$913 million from a 10-year sukuk to pay for four Airbus A380-800s. Emirates signed a deal last week for 36 additional Airbus SE A380 aircraft, handling the aircraft manufacturer the first orders for the model in more than two years.

Indonesia hires for dollar #sukuk, could include Green tranche

The Republic of Indonesia has appointed banks for a US dollar sukuk offering that could include the first offshore Green bond from an Asian sovereign. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, CIMB, Citigroup, Dubai Islamic Bank and HSBC are joint bookrunners. The sukuk maturities are expected to be of 5 and 10 years, and the issuer may also consider the possibility of a longer dated tranche. Poland was the first sovereign to issue Green bonds, in a euro-denominated transaction in 2016. In Asia, Hong Kong has also expressed interest in issuing Green bonds. Indonesia last issued dollar bonds in December, when it completed a $4 billion transaction split across three tenors.

Dana Gas #Sukuk Talks Stall as It Seeks 15% Discount on Buyback

Talks to resolve a dispute between Dana Gas and its sukuk holders broke down after the company proposed a 15% cut on some of the debt. The United Arab Emirates-based energy company suggested buying back about $200 million at 85 cents to the dollar, and rolling over the rest into new securities with a profit rate of 4%. In June, Dana Gas announced it no longer considers its sukuk compliant with Shariah standards. It has since missed profit payments in July and didn’t repay two $350 million mudarabah bonds due Oct. 31. Dana applied to set aside a Nov. 17 judgment that went against it because the company couldn’t participate in the trial. If its application is unsuccessful, Dana Gas will appeal against the judgment. If the appeal is successful, the issue will be reheard by the English High Court over a three-day period from Jan. 30.

Exclusive: Weeks of talks fail to resolve Dana Gas #sukuk dispute - sources

Weeks of talks between UAE energy firm Dana Gas and some local holders of a disputed $700 million sukuk have failed to reach an agreement. Last year, Dana refused to redeem $700 million of maturing Islamic bonds, arguing they were no longer valid under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law because of changes in Islamic financial practice. The move shocked the global Islamic finance industry, as some investors worried it could set a precedent for other sukuk issuers. Dana proposed to swap its sukuk, but creditors rejected the proposal, saying the terms were unfavorable. The case moved to UAE and British courts. Legal proceedings in both countries are continuing, but in November a British court ruled in favor of Dana’s creditors.

Khazanah Launches #Sukuk Exchangeable into Citic Shares

#Malaysia's Khazanah Nasional pushed out an exchangeable sukuk to raise US$ 309.4 million to US$ 320.8 million. The zero-coupon sukuk are exchangeable into CITIC Securities Co Ltd’s Hong-Kong listed H-shares. They have a tenor of five years and an investor put option after three years. The sukuk will be listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited, Labuan International Financial Exchange and Bursa Malaysia. CIMB and J.P. Morgan are the joint bookrunners and joint lead managers for the transaction.

Khazanah's RM1.27b #Sukuk oversubscribed 5.5 times

Khazanah Nasional's exchangeable Sukuk of USD320.8mil (RM1.27bil), which has a tenure of five years, was oversubscribed by 5.5 times. The exchangeable Sukuk would reference the value of H-shares in CITIC Securities, China’s largest securities brokerage firm. Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar said it was opportune for the fund to price the deal on the back of positive market sentiments in China. The exchangeable Sukuk is structured based on the principle of Wakalah and provides the Sukuk holder with the option to receive cash or shares upon exchange. The Sukuk will be listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited, Labuan International Financial Exchange and Bursa Malaysia. CIMB and J.P. Morgan are the joint bookrunners and joint lead managers for this exchangeable Sukuk transaction.

#Emirates said to seek $1bn #sukuk to diversify funding

Dubai's Emirates airline plans to raise as much as $1bn through sukuk before higher US interest rates push up borrowing costs. A spokeswoman said the company was constantly seeking diverse sources of funding, including bank finance, operating leases, Islamic financing, sukuk and bonds. Governments in the Gulf oil-exporting countries borrowed from international bond markets at a record pace in 2017 as they sought to cover budget deficits worsened by low oil prices. Saudi Arabia raised $21.5bn through sukuk and other bonds, followed by Abu Dhabi’s $10bn issue and Kuwait’s $8bn fundraising. Emirates raised $913mn through a sukuk issue with a 10-year lifespan in 2015. Proceeds funded the acquisition of four Airbus A380-800s, the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Airbus recently questioned the future of the A380, in case Emirates does not place a crucial order for new airplanes.

#Qatar’s QR25bn worth #sukuk to mature soon

Almost half of Qatar’s outstanding sukuk, worth of over QR25bn, will mature in 2018. With the ongoing growth of Shariah-compliant institutions, new issuances are vital. If no sukuk are issued in the country to replace the maturing ones, Shariah-compliant investors might look to other sukuk investments outside Qatar. According to the joint research of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Thomson Reuters and Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), retail sukuk remains an untapped segment in most of the countries in GCC. Qatar can capitalise on selling sukuk to the retail market to promote both the primary and secondary capital market. Financial institutions have been leading corporate issuance in the GCCIn Qatar, Ezdan Holding Group is the only corporation outside financial institutions to issue sukuk. Ijarah continues to be the most popular sukuk structure in Qatar. However, Qatari corporate sukuk have all been issued based on wakalah structure, which has been gaining popularity in the recent years.

Sharjah Islamic Bank issues #Sukuk to raise $72.47m

Sharjah Islamic Bank (SIB) has successfully completed the issuance of Dh266.8 million worth of Sukuk convertible into equity of the bank to the Sharjah Social Security Fund (SSSF). SIB chairman Abdul Rahman Al Owais announced that income generated from the bank’s dividends will be used for uplifting social activities in the emirate. The Ruler of Sharjah nominated an entity engaged in endowment activities to subscribe to Sukuk equal to 10% of SIB’s capital and converting it into equity for the bank at a nominal value of Dh1 each. Al Owais expects that the capitalisation ratios will be strengthened by around 100 bps with the issuance of this capital. He added that by virtue of this exercise, SIB’s shared capital has increased from Dh2,668,050,000 to Dh2,934,855,000.

Global #Sukuk issuance looks ‘uncertain’ for 2018

According to ratings agency S&P Global, the outlook for Islamic bonds remains uncertain for the coming year. Global Sukuk issuance in 2017 reached $97.9 billion, an increase of 45.3%, from the $67.4 billion recorded in 2016. The increase was underpinned by large issuances by GCC countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. Non-GCC countries also contributed to the rise, with Hong Kong tapping the market again last year and Nigeria issuing its first Sukuk. Morocco and Tunisia are expected to issue Sukuks this year. The report said while core Islamic finance countries will continue to have "significant" financing needs in 2018, the Sukuk market could be held back by tightening global liquidity.

DEAL: MENA region's first Reit #sukuk

Emirates REIT has issued the first sukuk by a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the MENA region. It's also the first REIT from the region to have a credit rating (BB+). REITs have not traditionally issued sharia-compliant bonds, and have instead preferred to tap conventional debt markets for their financing needs. The only previous issuance of this type was in Malaysia in 2014, when KLCC REIT sold $930 million of Islamic bonds. This new issuance was hosted by The Irish Stock Exchange and relied on underlying wakala and murabaha contracts. The entire timeline of the deal was less than two months. This was to ensure Emirates Reit didn’t miss the favourable issuance window. Standard Chartered Bank acted as sole global coordinator, ratings advisor and joint lead manager of the sukuk issuance.

Global #sukuk issuance jumps 45.3% to $98bn in ’17: S&P

According to Standard & Poor’s (S&P), global sukuk issuance increased 45.3% year-on-year to $97.9bn in 2017. This performance was primarily driven by good liquidity conditions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. S&P head of Islamic Finance, Dr Mohamed Damak said the outlook for sukuk in 2018 looked uncertain. He added that tighter global liquidity conditions, mounting geopolitical risks and slow progress on the standardisation of Islamic finance products would continue to hold the market back. The US Federal Reserve is expected to increase rates by 75 basis points. Central banks in the GCC countries would probably mirror such an increase due to the peg of their currencies with the US dollar. Regarding retail sukuk, the agency believes that development of this part of the market necessitates a specific regulatory framework. Retail sukuk issuance has been successful in some countries where authorities provided a tax incentive to drain a portion of the savings toward this market.

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