IslamicFinance.de

Qatar Islamic Insurance Company has reported a 3% rise in first-half net profit to QR35.84mn despite expenses growing faster than income mainly due to a 13% rise in general and administrative costs. Income from investments in associates almost quadrupled to QR3.97mn, rental income grew 16% to QR4.53mn, wakala fee by 8% to QR23.98mn and other income by 28% to QR1.06mn. However, income from shareholders’ investments shrank 30% to QR6.73mn and shareholders’ share in policyholders’ investment income by 5% to QR7.74mn. Nevertheless, total income grew 5% to QR48mn. Total assets were valued at QR662.22mn comprising policyholders’ assets of QR365.41mn and shareholders’ assets of QR296.81mn. Total shareholders’ equity stood at QR263.39mn on a capital base of QR150mn and earnings-per-share was QR2.39 at the end of June 30, 2013.

Malaysia-based International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp (IILM) will issue its long-awaited sukuk programme worth $490 million (RM1.6 million) this month, offering tenors of three months. The dollar-denominated sukuk programme, rated "A-1" by S&P, is backed by sovereign assets from member countries and will carry maturities of up to one year. IILM delayed its maiden issue several times and replaced its chief executive in October last year. It plans to raise the programme to as much as US$3 billion, aided by a multi-jurisdictional network of primary dealers that will ensure a secondary market, which includes Albaraka Turk and Standard Chartered as primary dealers.

In September last year, Noor issued an invitation to the world to help shape the future of banking, with the launch of its Bank of the Future initiative, aimed at creating innovative ways of banking. As part of the initiative, Noor created an online Shape Your Bank competition to solicit people’s expectations of banks in the future, with prize money of $20,000 for the best idea on enhancing the banking experience. Nurul Iksan from Malang, Indonesia, won the first prize in Noor’s online competition. With the $20,000 in cash, plus an iPad he can begin pursuing some of his business ideas. He will use part of the money to open a fashion shop in nearby Bali. Iksan’s suggestion was to introduce a family account that is held by the head of the family with supplementary cards and limited budgets assigned to all family members. Such a concept has not been implemented in the region yet.

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) and the Bangladesh Bank (The Central Bank of Bangladesh) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The objective of the MOU is to establish a basis for the exchange of information between the two institutions on banking industry's condition and operating performance and ICIEC exposures on the banks operating in Bangladesh. It is expected that the MOU will help pave the way forward for ICIEC in meeting its objectives under the IDB Group Member Country Participation Strategy (MCPS) for Bangladesh, through enhance letter of credit coverage and support in terms of political risk insurance coverage of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The signing of the MoU should enhance ICIEC's ability to support exporting companies operating in Bangladesh, and also will help to attract more FDI.

Standardisation of the regulations governing Islamic finance is a must to ensure the globalisation of Islamic finance, according to Hussain AlQemzi, GCEO of Noor Investment Group and CEO of Noor Islamic Bank. Although regional standardisation bodies exist, adherence to their standards varies from country to country and region to region. AlQemzi called for practical measures to be implemented that progressively address impediments to the growth of Islamic finance. He further said that an enabling environment for cross border connectivity through Islamic finance needs to be created. This will require measures to develop domestic capital markets and national market reforms. Domestic markets should also be strengthened by widening the issuer and investor bases, with more issuances in currencies other than the domestic currency, to attract investors from across the globe. And there should be greater collaboration and cooperation among, and between, national economies in which Islamic finance participates, AlQemzi added.

Dubai Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) recorded a net profit of Dh739 million in the first half of this year, up 25 per cent from Dh592 million during the same time a year ago. Net profit for the second quarter of this year reached Dh437 million, up 31 per cent from compared to Dh334 million registered during the corresponding time last year. Net revenue for the first half of the year amounted to Dh2.1 billion, an increase of 10 per cent from Dh1.9 billion recorded during the same period in 2012. As of the end of June, the bank’s total assets reached Dh111.1 billion, customer deposits grew by 23 per cent to Dh82.4 billion. The bank’s gross investing and financing assets rose 1.4 per cent to Dh59.6 billion. During the first half of the year, the bank expanded its retail franchise to include three branches and 23 ATMs to its network. Additionally, it completed its acquisition of Tamweel, an Islamic home finance provider.

Saudi investment firm Sedco Capital plans to register its Islamic funds in Switzerland and distribute them through tie-ups with global private Banks. This is part of efforts to diversify its client base outside Saudi Arabia. Sedco Capital has incorporated environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into two of the equity funds, widening their appeal to include ethically minded investors in general. The firm hopes this will allow its funds to be marketed to investors beyond traditional Islamic areas in the Middle East and southeast Asia. The firm aims to be able to source two-thirds of its assets under management from outside Saudi Arabia in four to five years. One fund is to be signed by October and the second one by December.Sedco Capital's two ESG funds, launched in May last year, have $230 million in assets and are managed by Stockholm-based Informed Portfolio Management.

Cheraman Financial Services Ltd, jointly promoted by the Kerala government and non-resident Keralites, is to fund hundreds of cash-strapped student startups coming up in Kerala state, India. The Islamic financial institution has set aside Rs150mn for companies in the Startup Village, Kerala’s answer to Silicon Valley, from its Rs2.5bn Alternative Investment Fund that primarily targets the Shariah-compliant service and manufacturing sectors. There are more than 900 firms with innovative products started by students waiting to set up their units. At least one company of students with innovative ideas is being set up each day at the Startup Village. The Village aims to host 3,000 startups by 2020. Coming up on the same campus in this port city is the Kerala Technology Innovation Centre, another zone exclusively for bio-technology.

Egypt’s banking sector witnessed a jump in profits during the first half of the current fiscal year in comparison to the same period last year, and even in comparison to the first quarter of this year. The Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt stated that its profits for the first half of the current fiscal year totalled EGP 370.8m (nearly $53m), a 30.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Bankers throughout the country expect that other institutions will also soon announce increases in their profit margins for the first half of this year, due to their subscription to government debt instruments, which have brought high returns over the last six months. The stabilisation of the country is expected to allow banks to begin lending once again at higher rates, to both individuals and companies, which would help stimulate the economy, support banks and help them achieve higher profit margins.

Saudi firm Wataniya Insurance Company announced the commissioning of Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) as their Sharia advisor. Shariyah Review Bureau will oversee and supervise the company's Shari'a Compliance needs from Product structuring to Certification, and from Investments to periodical Shari'a reviews. According to Mr. Yasser Dahlawi, CEO at Shariyah Review Bureau, outsourcing Shari'a Supervisory functions is changing the landscape of the whole Islamic financial industry. It has been accelerated with greater demand from Institutional clients seeking cost-effective measures and a dynamic environment in having there queries and products quickly reviewed and verified, he added. Shariyah Review Bureau is currently serving 22% of the listed Cooperative Insurance companies in Saudi Arabia.

According to a recent focus group held in Dubai by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), a common definition of what sustainability is and what it means in the UAE would help to encourage more companies to invest in creating their own corporate sustainability reports on a regular basis. The UAE focus group brought together 11 high level delegates representing a range of organisations. Whilst the level of sustainability reporting is currently low in the UAE, it was felt that sustainability reporting should play an important role in the development of the UAE in the years to come. Represantatives of the ACCA hope that these discussions will make a difference in helping to change perspectives and show just how important corporate sustainability reporting is to helping the UAE’s growing economy maintain its momentum.

Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers plans to make a new offer on US$7.2 billion of debt to creditors as it seeks to bounce back from the Middle East's biggest corporate default. The Saudi Arabian company, which runs a bottling plant for PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) products in the kingdom and has interests ranging from finance to shipping, will propose the new deal in the coming months, according to its Chief Executive Officer Simon Charlton. Creditors rejected a proposal from Algosaibi four years ago. The new debt proposal will include some upfront payments and those spread over a longer time. However, terms of the revised deal are likely to be less favorable than the initial offer. Charlton said Algosaibi plans to borrow from local and international banks once the restructuring is resolved.

A new whitepaper released by Deloitte in July examines the potential mortgage industry in Saudi Arabia and highlights key issues that need to be addressed in order to create both lender and consumer confidence in this market. The whitepaper lists and describes the five laws that will make up the Finance Law, which are The Enforcement Law, The Real Estate Finance Law, The Registered Real Estate Mortgage Law, The Finance Lease Law and The Finance Companies Control Law. The description is followed by a discussion of lenders and consumers’ potential concerns with regards to the new mortgage infrastructure. In principle, the multi-dimension reforms appear sufficient to develop a functioning mortgage market. However, fundamental to this is whether they are executed in their entirety, or whether there is any uncertainty as to their exact definition.

Ramadan 19, named as “Emirati Humanitarian Work Day”, is an annual event in memory of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and aims to inculcate the spirit of giving and philanthropy nationwide. As many as 1,500 charitable activities will be organised across the country by 270 local and federal departments to mark the day. The activities will feature presenting refrigerators and air conditioners to the needy families, setting up a chocolate factory to offer jobs to people with special needs, workshops for needy families, a day for orphans and distribution of Ramadan rations and Eid Al Fitr gifts. Moreover, the UAE has launched the “Egypt in Our Heart” campaign, which will contribute to infrastructure development in Egypt, Besides, other initiatives have been launched, to help Syrian refugee children and to combat blindness and visual disability, among others.

The UAE Central Bank had ordered banks and financial companies to adhere to its Notice Number 237/2013 dated July 18, 2013, with regard to issuance and marketing of mutual funds. The Central Bank has asked all banks and investment companies to complete a sheet in respect of mutual funds issued or marketed by the bank/company in the UAE since inception up to February 24, 2009, in order to provide information to Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). According to Article 2 of the Regulations, mutual funds established in a free zone within the UAE are treated as foreign funds. The regulations define a mutual or investment fund as essentially a financial vehicle for the purpose of investment against the issue of investment units of equal value and rights. As per the law, no local mutual fund may be established and no foreign mutual fund may be promoted within the UAE, prior to obtaining a licence for establishment or approval of the promotion of the mutual fund from the SCA.

Islamic banking is yet to get a foothold in the country with RBI not extending the permission, but the Indian subsidiary of a Kuwait company is setting up a global support centre providing Islamic core banking solutions at Infopark, Cherthala, on Friday. Path Solutions India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Path Solutions K.S.C.C, Ku­w­ait. According to Mohammed Kateeb, group chairman and CEO of Path Solutions, the company plans to have over 30 professionals working from its global support and development centre by the end of second quarter. Path Solutions wants to utilize the local skilled resources to deliver value-added software solutions and services to its clients. The centre will be opened by Aroor MLA A.M. Arif at 5 pm. IT principal secretary P.H. Kurien and Infopark CEO Hrishikesh Nair will attend the function among others.

Capital Intelligence (CI) has maintained Sharjah Islamic Bank's (SIB) Financial Strength Rating (FSR) at 'BBB+', with SIB's exceptionally sound capital adequacy ratio (CAR) and good liquidity being major supporting factors. Rising non-performing Islamic financing facilities (NPIFFs), a low coverage ratio and high customer concentrations are major constraining factors. While profitability had been under some strain in the recent past, the Bank's good Q1 2013 operating performance is a favourable development. A 'Stable' Outlook is appended to the FSR on the expectation that some of the impaired IFFs will move off the non-performing list later this year, and that the coverage ratio will improve. However, if ratios remain unchanged or worsen, the FSR could be further adjusted downwards at the next review. The Foreign Currency Ratings are affirmed at 'A-' Long-Term and 'A2' Short-Term with a 'Stable' Outlook.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) opens its annual Ramadan exhibition this year at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. The Road from Jerusalem to Mecca and Medina follows last year's exhibition Discovering Ka'aba withtwo more replicas of central landmarks in Islamic history. The exhibition portrays a historical journey through three holy sites of historical and religious significance. The Road from Jerusalem to Mecca and Medina includes a replica of the Ka'aba which illustrates both the Ka'aba's outer façade and its inner structure. Rare photographs of the Ka'aba that depict its various architectural and design elements will also be on display. In addition, the exhibition showcases the Al-Nabawi Mosque and a model of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The exhibition is open to the public every day from 08:30am to 12:00 midnight throughout the whole month of Ramadan.

Wissam Shawkat, an Iraqi calligrapher who moved to Dubai at the end of 2002, splits his time between fine art calligraphy and designing logos for some of the largest companies in the UAE. As well as logos for regional companies trying to emphasise their roots, he also translates international brand names into Arabic typography for their Middle East operations. Calligraphy is an obvious choice for companies targeting Arab consumers as it creates more emotional reference to them. International companies that open operations in the Gulf often use calligraphy as a stamp of authenticity. Calligraphy might be considered an odd choice for those international companies that employ and cater to non-Arabic speakers, but the designs are rarely judged on their legibility alone. It's about creating an icon.

MAA Group will finally get to proceed with plans to buy new businesses after reaching a settlement agreement with Zurich Insurance Co. Under the settlement, Zurich has agreed to pay MAA Group RM103.43 million on top of the RM344 million acquisition price for MAA Group's interest in MAA Assurance Alliance and its subsidiaries. The RM103.43 million amount is subject to the deduction of the Senai Desaru and Domayne bonds transfer price and Prima Avenue Klang property holdback amount of RM3 million, such that the net amount payable by Zurich into the escrow account is RM78.83 million. However, Zurich will instruct and withhold the RM3 million until delivery of the individual strata titles for Block A of Prima Avenue Klang within three years.