IslamicFinance.de

The Malaysia-based International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp (IILM), backed by nine central banks and monetary agencies as well as the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, has said it plans to issue up to $500mn of dollar-denominated sukuk in the second quarter of this year, and eventually expand the programme to as much as $3bn. However, the company faces a delicate task as it designs its maiden sukuk: it must make the issue attractive enough for investors to buy, but not so attractive that most of them buy to hold. The IILM’s mission is to create a highly liquid tool which Islamic banks will trade to manage their short-term funds. Whether it gets the balance right will affect the development of Islamic money market trading in the Gulf and Southeast Asia over the coming year.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said that it has assigned its 'A-1' rating to International Islamic Liquidity Management 2 SA's US$500 million Islamic finance program. The vehicle has been established with the sole purpose of purchasing sovereign, sovereign-linked or supranational sukuk assets with long-term ratings that correspond to an 'A-1' rating. In addition, the vehicle is to issue short-term Sharia-compliant certificates with maturity profiles of less than one year. IILM will act as the program administrator of the vehicle.

The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp (IILM) intends to issue its first sukuk at the beginning of 2013. A board meeting next week has been scheduled by the company. Plans concerning the issuance will be discussed there an length.