IslamicFinance.de

Despite an early intervention by governments, the global economy has not yet fully recovered. However, the signs of recovery are there and the situation is immeasurably better than a year ago according to the Central Bank of Bahrain.

Bahrain-based Islamic investment house Tharawat said it plans to raise USD 100 million by year-end for a sukuk fund it recently launched to focus on bargains on the secondary market.

Tharawat was established in July 2008 with a paid-up capital of $33 million.

S&P:
-- We are affirming the ratings on Arcapita.
-- The outlook remains negative.
-- We are withdrawing the ratings at the issuer request.

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) June 29, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it affirmed its 'BB-/B' counterparty credit ratings on Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank. The outlook remained negative. Standard & Poor's then withdrew its ratings on Arcapita at the bank's request.

The ratings affirmation reflects our conclusions that the assumptions factored into the ratings are still holding up. The ratings on Arcapita reflect our opinion of the bank's high leverage in the context of a very difficult economic and investment climate, as well as its pressured liquidity position. In our view, positive rating factors are the corrective measures that Arcapita is implementing and the support that the bank is receiving from shareholders. The ratings reflect our opinion of Arcapita's stand-alone credit profile and do not include any uplift for extraordinary external support.

Bahrain's USD 750 mn sovereign sukuk issue attracted an order book of about USD 4 bn and the size was increased to USD 750 mn. The sukuk was priced at the low end of expectations at 340 basis points over US Treasuries. Some 55 % of the issue went to Middle Eastern investors, with Europe accounting for 26 % and Asia for 15 % of the investor base of almost 200 accounts.

Bahrain's Al Baraka Banking Group plans to spend up to USD 120 mn on acquisitions this year as asset valuations drop amid a global financial crisis.

Global Investment House plans to sell a 14.1 % stake in Al-Salam Bank in a June 11 auction to reduce its holdings. The company expects 6.4 million dinar in profit.

Global said in January that it defaulted on most of its loan repayments.rg.net

Bahrain's Al Salam Bank has announced that Bahraini Saudi Bank's shareholders had accepted its takeover offer.

Andrew England in Abu Dhabi and Abeer Allam in Riyadh reported in the Financial Times about the Saudi conglomerate owned by Maan Al-Sanea.

The statement by Saad Group – its first admission that it is facing difficulties – came after bankers said the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (Sama) had frozen the personal accounts of Mr Sanea and members of his family.

IslamicFinance.de: Saad Group is related to the Golden Belt Sukuk. No information was given in the article hereto.

International Investment Bank (IIB), Bahrain, announced the completion of the first Thermo Mechanical Treatment steel rolling mill in Bahrain (UNIROL) earlier this month. IIB is one of the major partners of the project with an equity stake of 35%.

Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB) announced that it has provided a USD 25 mn banking facility for Bukhatir Investment Group to support expansion projects planned by the Group.

Press Release

PARIS (Standard & Poor's) June 1, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it has lowered its long-term counterparty credit ratings on Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank (Arcapita) to 'BB-' from 'BB' and removed them from CreditWatch, where they were first placed on Jan. 28, 2009, with negative implications. At the same time, we affirmed our 'B' short-term rating on Arcapita. The outlook is negative.

The ratings reflect our opinion of Arcapita's stand-alone credit profile and do not include any uplift for extraordinary external support. However, Standard & Poor's recognizes that ongoing support from Arcapita's shareholders has been significant and is incorporated in Arcapita's stand-alone credit profile.

"The rating action reflects our opinion of Arcapita's high leverage in the context of a very difficult economic and investment climate, which has challenged Arcapita's business model, reduced the value of its assets, and put pressure on its financial performance," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Mohamed Damak.

Press Release

LONDON (Standard & Poor's) May 22, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it revised to negative from stable its outlook on Saudi Arabia-based Saad Group and related entities, owing to our view of its increased real estate exposure resulting in the reduced liquidity and geographic diversity of its portfolio. At the same time, the 'BBB+/A-2' corporate credit ratings were affirmed.

The outlook revision reflects our view of Saad Group's reduced portfolio liquidity and diversity, with real estate holdings in Saudi Arabia constituting a substantially larger portion of Saad Group's asset base than previously. Due in part to current economic conditions, we are applying more conservative metrics for Saad Group's ratings, by altering our previous treatment of some of Saad Group's assets and liabilities. We also lowered our loan-to-value (LTV) threshold for the rating to 25% from 30%.

Bahrain-based International Investment Bank's (IIB) total income reached USD 1.8 mn in Q1. This was mainly derived from investment banking fees generated from the structuring, underwriting and placement of new investments, together with profit earned on funds placed with financial institutions.

Total expenses reduced to USD 2.7 mn in the period, reflecting the lower business activity as compared to a year ago. A net loss was incurred of USD 900,000 compared to a net profit of USD 5.4 mn earned in the same period last year.

International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) held its 20th board meeting and discussed the achievement of last year, the Master Agreements for Treasury Placement (MATP), and the new project of the IIFM-ISDA "Tahawwut" (Hedging) Master Agreement.

The objective of IIFM is to take part in the establishment, development and promotion of Islamic Capital and Money Market (ICMM). IIFM's primary focus lies in the advancement and unification of Islamic financial documents, structures, contracts, instruments, infrastructure and recommendations for the enhancement of IC

The Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) will seek a mandate from its trustees to examine the degree of sharia financial products' compliance with its 40 standards, its secretary-general, Mohamad Nedal Alchaar, said according to Liau Y-Sing from Reuters.

Lack of common standards makes it difficult to sell products across borders, while possibly enhancing innovation.

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.

Arcapita had raised more than two-thirds of a USD 400 mn rights issue from existing shareholders and hoped to conclude the deal by the end of this month according to the CEO. Arcapita has a number of deals ahead, such as 2 acquisitions in Asian infrastructure or real estate sectors, buying up the assets from the Australian power investment firm Babcock & Brown Power and a USD 3.5 bn residential real estate project in Qatar with Kuwait's Al-Imtiyaz Investment.

Gulf Finance House plans to launch a GBP 50 mn UK commercial property fund and a USD 50 mn Sukuk fund in the GCC. The USD 50 mn sukuk fund, to launch in the next two weeks pending regulatory approval, would focus on government, quasi-government, or very stable GCC issues, reported Ulf Laessing and Raissa Kasolowsky on Reuters.

Unicorn Investment Bank consider mergers in the Gulf, and acquisitions of about USD 2 bn in the Gulf, Europa and Asia. It plans a Sukuk Al Ijara about USD 425 mn in Q3 to fund its expansion reported Ulf Laessing and Raissa Kasolowsky on Reuters. Current targets are two Gulf firms, retail banks in Pakistan, India and Malaysia and one in Britain or continental Europe. Unicorn received also a license in Malaysia for a new set up.

Plans announced last September to issue USD 1.5 bn Sukuk by the end of 2008 had been postponed due to market conditions.

Algebra Capital sees the Mideast asset management sector to grow by 15 % from USD 80-100 bn to USD 300 bn by 2014. Fixed-income, which contributes less than 2-3 % of regional assets compared with a majority in equity investments, could provide a "tremendous growth" opportunity if regulators and governments focus on creating the domestic demand for new issues, Managing Director Mohieddine Kronfol said.

Franklin Rersouces Inc. holds a 40 % stake in Algebra Capital and have jointly launched 5 products on the equity side and now looking at fixed-income products and Islamic.