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Indonesia's Finance Ministry is targeting Rp 15 trillion ($1.55 billion) from issuing rupiah-denominated sukuk to its citizens as part of the country’s effort to plug the budget deficit. Dahlan Siamat, director of Islamic financing at the Finance Ministry’s debt management office, said that the sukuk would use government infrastructure projects such as toll roads and bridges as the underlying assets. The government set the annual coupon rate of the rupiah sukuk at 6.0 percent with a tenor of three years.

The economic committee of the Shura Council prepared a draft law for sukuk, which differs from the Ministry of Finance’s current project regarding sukuk. According to Saeed Aref, a member of the council’s economic committee, the draft law grants foreigners the right to invest in sukuk usufruct for a maximum duration of 40 years, saying there will be no maximum percentage of ownership. Al-Azhar will be consulted to see the compatibility of the law with Sharia before the end of dialogue sessions, he added.

The government of Pakistan raised Rs182 billion through a Sukuk against the security of Jinnah International Airport Karachi for budget financing. The Sukuk operations were launched through the Pakistan Domestic Sukuk Company Limited. However, analysts question the use of Islamic bonds for budget financing and linking the return with treasury bills, saying it is forbidden and against Shariah laws. In the last fiscal year, the government borrowed a total Rs412 billion through Sukuk, enabling it to meet 23.2% of financing needs.

The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) has said the number of real estate investment funds in the kingdom has so far reached 58 funds and there has been tremendous turnout among real estate developers and investors to float more funds. The market regulator has issued guidelines to regulate investments in this sector to avoid non-organised real estate investment, which has had a negative impact on many citizens in a bid to streamline group investment on the real estate sector and allow investors, especially young and small categories.

According to HSBC, global Islamic bond sales are set to surpass sales from 2012 by 64%. Mohammed Dawood, Dubai-based MD of debt capital markets at HSBC Amanah, says that sales in the six-nation GCC will surge to between $30bn and $35bn this year. The Dubai government kicked off sovereign sukuk sales last month with $750m of 10-year Islamic notes after its borrowing costs fell 40%. Standard and Poor’s estimates show that Islamic financial assets will double by 2015 to $3-trillion.

Egypt's Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit (PBDAC) is launching sharia-compliant retail banking services this month to meet increasing demand in rural areas. According to Abdel Rahman Al Kafrawi, head of Islamic transactions at PBDAC, the bank will offer retail finance at 18 Islamic branches through murabaha and musharaka structures. The new Islamic services cover areas including purchases of durable goods and agricultural equipment, the setting up of clinics and medical laboratories, and the financing of education fees. PBDAC launches its new services with a portfolio of 50 million pounds ($7.5 million), that can be raised to 100 million next June based on demand.

Bahrain's bankrupt Arcapita Bank BSC, after negotiations with creditors, filed in New York bankruptcy court on Friday a proposed Chapter 11 reorganization plan that calls for a $185 million exit financing package. According to the bank the package will allow it to wind down its operations, sell off its assets and maximize recovery for creditors. Arcapita will set up new operating companies and most unsecured creditors will give up their claims in exchange for equity in the new company.

Speakers at the seminar titled "Agriculture and Micro Insurance: Experience in Afro-Asian Region" discussed the need for Shari'ah-compliant financial services, including Takaful insurance. One speaker said that many poor Muslims are financially excluded because of both involuntary and voluntary reasons. Therefore, providing Shari'ah-compliant financial services is needed to accelerate financial inclusion. At the same session, the speakers also discussed about how Takful (Islamic) insurance can solve challenges in the micro-insurance sector.

A mass awareness campaign to increase public trust and confidence in Islamic banking, to be led by the Islamic banking industry with the support of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), is being launched shortly. According to Deputy Governor of SBP Kazi Abdul Muktadir, the Islamic banking industry is still facing many challenges which include low awareness and understanding of public at large about Islamic banking and its distinction over conventional banking. The campaign is expected to lead to further acceleration in the growth of Islamic banking.

The Finance Ministry is supervising and working on a restructuring of The Islamic Bank of Thailand, or IBank. The ministry's approval for a capital increase depends on the success in the restructuring plan, according to Somchai Sujjapongse, the director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office. The bank is pursuing several options to recover debt, including filing court foreclosures or restructuring debt with clients. Mr Somchai stressed that IBank continues to operate normally, particularly retail lending operations, but has tightened underwriting practices for large corporate lending.

Technical report for free download regarding the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), the first lender to the agricultural sector in Afghanistan in over 25 years, which was initially designed to be a wholesale lender utilizing existing financial institutions as conduits to reach farmers.

While the original design did not emphasize on the provision of Islamic financial products, there was the implicit assumption that with the help of technical assistance and grants some financial intermediaries would do so.

Dubai Islamic Bank, Sharjah Islamic Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank are more than tripling Bank of Khartoum’s capital to around $225 million after it gained a short-term ‘A-1’ rating from The Islamic International Rating Agency last week. Bank of Khartoum’s General Manager Fadi Faqih said its bank wants to boost its agricultural finance business by preparing a fund to attract direct investment from mainly Gulf banks to invest into Sudan's agricultural sector. Bank of Khartoum also plans to arrange Sukuk for corporate clients in the infrastructure and utility sector for some 150 million pounds this year.

Al Jazeera Finance (AJF) has signed a $95m (QR345.8m) 3-year dual currency Murabaha facility with a syndicate of banks from the GCC. QInvest acted as sole bookrunner and structuring adviser to AJF. Qatar Islamic Bank took the Mandate Lead Arranger (MLA) role and is also acting as the Investment Agent. Ahli United Bank, First Gulf Bank UAE and QInvest were the Lead Arrangers. According to Amer Al Jabri, Chief Executive Officer of AJF, the agreement is an important stepping stone towards diversifying AJF's funding sources, and reaching out to a wider group of banking relationships.

Leeds United owners GFH Capital are reportedly planning to sell the football club, just seven weeks after completing their takeover. Current owner of Hull FC rugby league club Adam Pearson is believed to be leading a bid by a consortium of Yorkshire businessmen. The deal is understood to be for 51 per cent with a full takeover later this year. A GFH Capital statement last night said that they had received several offers to invest in the club alongside them, but none had been accepted.

Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank is planning to liquidate its assets, and will not seek out new investors or investments, according to its reorganisation plan. Creditors will be given equity in two new companies that hold all the assets of Arcapita and several related companies. The proposal also envisions a new $550 million sukuk to be issued to the unsecured creditors. The reorganisation plan will be submitted to creditors for a vote and to the US court for confirmation.

Egypt’s Islamist government is making preparations for the country’s first sovereign sukuk after the cabinet of ministers approved the new draft sukuk bill on January 16. The new finance minister, El-Morsi Hegazy, reportedly plans the law might ultimately raise an additional $10 billion for the sovereign. Investors, however, do not yet sound convinced, since there might be another revolution to come. Nevertheless, Egypt has considerable potential as an Islamic finance market.

Trevor Rowe has been appointed to the advisory board of Islamic funds manager Crescent Wealth. Rowe is chairman of BrisConnections, executive chairman of Rothschild Australia and chairman of UGL, among other things. Crescent Wealth managing director Talal Yassine said Rowe had been ''appointed for his experience and ability to offer high-level insight and counsel on strategic opportunities''.

The three Bahraini Islamic banks Capivest, Elaf Bank and Capital Management House have completed their merging into a single entity with total assets worth over $400m and total equity of around $340m. Shareholders had given their approval to the tie-up at the end of June. Advisors on the three-way merger were Deloitte and law firms Trowers & Hamlins and Elham Ali Hassan and Associates.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) is planning to introduce an 'Islamic Shariah Index' to increase investment of Islamic Shariah-based banks in the stock market. A meeting was held with the representatives of Islami Bank Bangladesh in order to prepare a guideline for its introduction. According to DSE president and coordinator of the Stock Market Coordination Committee Rakibur Rahman, the DSE is also talking with the Standard and Poor's (S&P) for introduction of the new index.

?Accountable for the entire business portfolio of New Market Business Development function.
?To penetrate into the Non-Muslim market, especially in the higher purchasing power category focusing on Family Business.
?To recruit, train and manage the productivity of the New Market Agency force.
?To source, recruit and develop 'New Market' agencies.