IslamicFinance.de

Saudi Arabia needs 1 million new houses by 2014 to meet the needs of its growing population but house prices are seen falling in the short term due to the global credit crisis, HSBC said in a report. The bank forecast a 15 % decline in house prices and rents in the kingdom's capital Riyadh in 2009 due to credit shortage , with a slow recovery expected in 2010. The rapidly growing population means there are shortages in residential, commercial, retail and hospitality property in Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and the Eastern Province according to the report.

Dubai Islamic Insurance and Reinsurance Co released its Q1 results for 2009 being AED 10 mn, a 68 % increase.

The new Islamic National Bank is regarded as sign of divide between the Palestinians. The Palestinian Monethariy Authority refused the license, being the recognised body according to the Oslo agreement in 1993 and Paris economic agreement on 1994 between the Palestinians and Israelis. Alternatively the bank has sent its establishing papers to the Prime Minister's office in Gaza and they have given it authorisation to start banking activities in Gaza.

Unlike other banks, it has no global serial number (swift code) which makes it impossible to work with other banks around the world or even in the Palestinian territories. The main clientele of the bank are Gaza Government employees, approximately 31,000.

Investors from Dubai are negotiating with government officials of Malta on a number of assets and projects in the Mediterranean island state. Dubai has already become a leading investor in Malta's economy with investments totalling near USD 1 bn over the last few years including the USD 300 mn SmartCity project, Euro 500 mn in International Hotel Investments (IHI) Group which owns Corinthia Hotels, as well as Tecom Investments' acquisition of a stake in Maltese telecom operator Go, with many more to come.

Islamic Arab Insurance Co (Salama) is looking for acquisitions in a number of markets including Turkey.

The whole-sale "mega bank" initiated by Saleh Kamel, Chairman of Dallah Albaraka Group shall be situated in Bahrain and is going to fundraise this year reported Shakir Husain in Gulf News. The bank should be business even outside the Muslim regions.

The bank's founders will contribute USD 1 bn in equity and USD 10 bn will be raised by offering shares to the public. Another USD 200 bn is planned to come from sukuk issuance and investment funds.

Among the main shareholders will be the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Jeddah-based multilateral lending agency, Dallah Albaraka Group, Kuwaiti Real Estate Bank and another 10 banks. There are two possible names being considered for the bank, which are Al Imar and Al Istikhlaf.

Emaar Economic City in Riyadh, as subsidiary of Emaar Properties Dubai, announced that it has so far earned SAR 2 bn from the sale of the first phase of residential units.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10300746.html

Nakheel has joined Thailand's Amburaya Hotels & Resorts to transform Thailand's idyllic Koh Samui Island with the launch of a stunning integrated resort development comprising 17 luxurious private residences and a 75-key all-villa hotel.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10300825.html

Dubai-based developer Limitless said Thursday it is reviewing a $12 billion (Dh44.04 billion) residential and commercial project in India because authorities there have not yet bought the required land. Its announcement came a day after the developer cut 7 per cent of its workforce and delayed a key contract on its $61 billion Arabian Canal project due to the global economic downturn.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10300811.html

Bahrain-based lenders Al Salam Bank and Bahrain Saudi Bank said in a joint statement posted on the Bahrain stock exchange that the due diligence and evaluation is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The planned merger would create a bank with combined market value of USD 400 mn.

The two banks said regulators and shareholders would be approached in April to approve the deal.

Nadia Saleem reported in the Gulf News that the possible merger of the UAE's largest Islamic mortgage providers, Amlak Finance and Tamweel, is in the final stages of being resolved, while the liquidation option has been taken off the table and quotes Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy informing reporters about it.

Aside from merger, keeping them seperate and liquidation was under discussion.

Rachna Uppal reported on 16 February that the UK Sterling Sukuk will be offered in the foreseeable future. There is work ongoing on the issue how t o treat the coupon of the Sukuk and put it on par with bonds.

Sharjah Islamic Bank released that its profits declined 23 % to AED 231.59 mn in 2008, down from AED 301.83 mn in 2007.

Suzanne Fenton reported on 29 January on Gulf News, that Dubai-basedm mortgage lender, Tamweel PJSC - a company which is currently under merger process with Amlak - is restructuring its business plans and organisational structure that involves a reduction of 57 staff members from its workforce. Tamweel, Amlak, Real Estate Bank and Industrial Bank are about to merge to UAE`s largest mortgage provider. Emirates Development Bank will have access to government funds.

Gulf News published based on Bloomberg 15 January an article regarding the governmental approval for Emirates Islamic Bank, Kuwait Syrian Holding, and two Saudi investors from the Al Rajhi family to partner with Bahrain-based Albaraka Banking Group, setting up Al Baraka Bank-Syria. The bank plans an IPO at the end of Q1 to sell 35 % according to Amir Assassa, a founding member of Albaraka Bank-Syria. Assassa said that Albaraka Banking Group will own 23 % in the Syrian bank, Syrian investors 16 %, Emirates Islamic 10 % and Kuwait Syrian Holding, which is partly owned by the Al Kharafi Group, 5 %, he said.

Mohammed Abbas and John Irish, reported on Gulf News (Reuters) on 9 March about the Sukuk market tendencies driven by sellers issuing in local currencies at low rates. The fallen LIBOR rates due to Federal Reserve policy are above off-setting for the increased margins asked for credit clients.

Local currencies are in favour as long as speculation is around about reevaluation of the dollar peg - this also limits the foreign demand for Sukuk and exposure to Gulf credit markets. Local currency Sukuk are relying on the GCC internal demand for such paper.

Source: http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/money/10212004.html

Gulf News reported on 19 April about the USD 400 mn, 5-year dual currency syndicated Ijara facility for the UAE-based Al Jaber Group.

BNP Paribas, Dubai Islamic Bank (through its investment banking arm, Millennium Capital Limited) First Gulf Bank, and National Bank of Abu Dhabi served as the underwriters and bookrunners for the transaction, which has been priced in both US dollar and UAE dirham. The syndicate comprised 7 banks.

Obeid Al Jaber is the Chairman of Al Jaber Group.

Source: http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Banking_and_Finance/10206883.html

Gulf News reported on 11 April that Gulf Finance House aims to develop the USD 10 bn Caspian Energy Hub in collaboration with the Government of Kazakhstan and PFC Energy International and signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The project, shall be a services hub that caters to commercial, technical and human resource needs of the oil and gas industry in the Caspian region. The hub also aims to become a global technical training centre for the oil & gas industry.

Esam Janahi is chairman of Gulf Finance House, Vahan Zanoyan is CEO of PFC Energy International and both presented the concept to Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazar. Ulf Wokurka is deputy chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Holding for Management of State Assets. Gani Uzbekov is deputy chairman of the Board of Sustainable Development Fund called "Kazyna".

Source: http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Oil_and_Gas/10204695.html

Gulf News reported on 6 April that Amlak Finance reported a 425 %growth in first quarter net profits to Dh 126 mn compared to only Dh 24 mn in the first quarter of 2007.

Amlak also reported an impressive 165 per cent rise in revenues to Dh 270 mn during the first quarter of 2008 compared to Dh 102 mn in the same period last year.

The Extraordinary General Meeting mandated the board of directors with the issuance of convertible sukuk, up to Dh1.8 billion, in addition to non-convertible sukuk up to at Dh3 billion, for a total value of Dh4.8 billion.

Nasser Bin Hassan Al Shaikh is the chairman of Amlak Finance.

Source: http://archive.gulfnews.com/business/Banking_and_Finance/10203528.html