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Saudi Arabia's Bank Al Bilad has received regulatory approval to issue a capital-boosting sukuk worth as much as 2 bn riyals ($533.3 m), it said in a bourse statement on Sunday.
The issue will enhance its Tier 2, or supplementary, capital and last for 10 years, although the bank has the option to redeem the sukuk after the fifth year, according to the filing.
Sources told Reuters last month that Bank Al Bilad, one of the smaller lenders in Saudi Arabia, had chosen HSBC's local unit to arrange the Islamic bond offering. ($1 = 3.7502 riyals)

In a statement to the Tadawul, Saudi International Petrochemical Company announced the successful completion of a Shari’ah-compliant Sukuk issuance amounting to SAR 1.0 bn on 16 June 2016.
The Sukuk was priced at 235 bps over six-month SAIBOR for a tenor of five years maturing on June 16, 2021.
Eng. Ahmad Al-Ohali, Chief Executive Officer of Sipchem, commented that the successful completion of its second Sukuk offering will provide funding for general corporate purposes (including, without limitation, the repayment of any financial obligations). He expressed his appreciation to all who participated in the success of the Sukuk offering especially Riyad Capital and NCB Capital for their efforts in successfully managing the private issuance.
In a separate statement to the Tadawul, Sipchem also reported that with reference to the announcement to the market dated 12 May 2016 regarding the company’s intention to exercise its right of early redemption of its Mudaraba Sukuk with an aggregate amount of SAR 1.8 billion maturing on 6 July 2016, Sipchem successfully completed the early redemption of the Sukuk in full on 15 June 2016.

The country’s leading Sharia-compliant lender, Qatar Islamic Bank now controls more than 43.5% of the Islamic banking market share in Qatar and 11.5% of the overall market. The quality of its customer service, portfolio of products and services, solid financial performance and measured approach to growth have also contributed to it recently adding the ‘Best Bank in Qatar’ honor from Euromoney to its list of awards. Group CEO Bassel Gamal explains QIB’s winning formula, its dedicated support for SMEs, and the opportunities Islamic finance holds for clients and investors.
What are the main opportunities in Islamic finance in Qatar?
Islamic finance has recorded many significant achievements over the last few years as it continued to strengthen its capabilities and grow by providing the products and services, as well as the capacity, to structure and finance major infrastructure projects in Qatar, in line with the country’s National Vision 2030.

The important role of the Republic of Turkey in the global Islamic finance industry as well as its distinct standing both at the official and popular levels, the steady growth both of Islamic banks and financial institutions operating there, in addition to the parallel evolution of its regulatory and supervisory framework, the AAOIFI has been keen to strengthen professional and technical ties with this country. This was translated into an official visit by AAOIFI to a number of banking regulatory and supervisory bodies as well as a number of Islamic banks and financial institutions, professional entities and academic institutions.

On the demand side, the institutional demand for high quality liquid assets are expected to keep sukuk demand high. As we get closer to the deadline of Basel III implementation, the lack of liquidity management instruments in Islamic finance is pushing this issue to the forefront.
Among the global economic developments, one positive driver for sukuk issuance could be the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing that might prompt some European investors to take positions on higher-yielding but riskier emerging-markets assets such as sukuk. Negative interest rates in Europe and Japan also are likely to attract investor of Gulf sukuk issues.
In 2015, the market saw $11.3 bn (17% to the total) in sukuk issuance for liquidity management purposes. The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp. alone issued $6.4 bn and is actively working on providing solutions to the market. Other stakeholders such as sovereign and central banks are now conscious of the role they have to play. In 2015, the market also saw another $4.9 bn issued in form of capital-boosting sukuk by financial institutions in the GCC and Malaysia.

From Canada, CI Financial, Manulife Financial, Royal Bank of Canada and Sun Life Financial are also included in the Hall of Shame. Jointly, these Canadian financial institutions invested US$565 million in cluster munitions producers between June 2012 and April 2016.

The report by Dutch peace organisation PAX was released today in Ottawa, together with the Cluster Munition Coalition and Mines Action Canada, to put pressure on Canada and other governments to put an end to these investments.

“It is an absolute outrage that financial institutions are investing billions into companies that produce weapons which are banned under international law”, says Suzanne Oosterwijk, author of the PAX report. “Canada has also banned these weapons. It is time for financial institutions to stop disregarding the international norm with these explosive investments into producers of illegal weapons that maim and kill civilians.”

Conyers advised DP World on the recent establishment of a sukuk program comprising up to US$3 billion of sukuk certificates to be listed on the Nasdaq Dubai, as well as the successful first drawdown of US$1.2 billion thereunder. Linklaters advised the joint lead managers and bookrunners, who included Citigroup, Dubai Islamic Bank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Barclays, Emirates NBD, First Gulf Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Société Générale. Fawaz Elmalki and Oliver J. Simpson of Conyers’ Dubai office advised on the matter.

Abu Dhabi's Al Hilal Bank acquired $225MM RegS floating rate note Sukuk at 3mL+160bps under its $2.5 billion existing Trust Certificate Issuance Program. This trade marks the return to senior unsecured dollar Sukuk market since 2013 by an Abu Dhabi financial institution. CEO of Al Hilal Bank, Khaled Abdulla Alkhoori, said this was the first Islamic private placement in the UAE. The bank aims to work towards raising funding for medium term to enhance its funding profile.

Dubai’s Meydan Group has obtained Dhs 1bn ($272m) of Islamic financing partly through an issue of Islamic bonds and partly from a term financing facility. The money will help to strengthen Meydan’s capital structure, diversify its investor base and support new projects. Despite the regional economic slowdown Dubai is continuing to invest heavily in its tourism and real estate industries. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank coordinated and structured Meydan’s financing. Three other UAE banks – Al Hilal Bank, Sharjah Islamic Bank and Ajman Bank – were also involved.

Abu Dhabi government-owned Al Hilal Bank has raised $225 million by privately placing Islamic bonds. The issue, maturing in January 2019, was priced at the three-month London interbank offered rate plus 160 basis points. It was the first unsecured U.S. dollar sukuk issue by an Abu Dhabi bank since 2013. CEO Khaled Abdulla Alkhoori said the bank aims to work towards raising funding for the medium term to enhance their funding profile. The issue was the second tranche of the bank's $2.5 billion notes programme. In the first tranche, Al Hilal raised $500 million of five-year debt in 2013.

After the publication of Oman's new Sukuk Regulations on 5 April 2016 new listing categories have been introduced on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM). The Capital Market Authority (CMA) introduces a new "Bond and Sukuk Market" on the MSM. The CMA intends to have existing and future bonds and Sukuks listed on the MSM to be placed into this new category. A number of other new categories also being introduced, such as "Under Monitoring Market" and a "Rights Issue Market".

Emirates Islamic Bank has made two donations of Dh2 million and Dh50,000 to inmates of Dubai Police’s Punitive and Correctional Establishments. The Dh2 million was allocated from the Zakat accounts to help inmates who are incarcerated for financial issues. The other donation, that of Dh50,000, was allocated from the charity accounts to pay for plane tickets for needy inmates.

Dubai Islamic Bank is opening subscriptions on Tuesday for a 3.16 bn dirham ($860.3 mn) rights issue. The bank is offering 988.4 mn new shares to shareholders in total, with subscription open on the basis of one new share for every four currently held. Shares are priced at 3.2 dirhams each, a substantial discount to Monday's closing share price of 4.95 dirhams. DIB is the latest bank in the Gulf to replenish reserves after a period of strong lending growth. At the end of March DIB's total capital adequacy ratio stood at 15.6%, above the UAE's regulatory minimum of 12%.

Bank Al Jazira has priced a 2 billion riyal ($533 million) sukuk issue that will boost the lender’s capital reserves. The bank priced the transaction at 190 basis points over the six-month Saudi interbank offered rate. The Islamic bond issue is structured with a ten-year lifespan but includes an option for the lender to redeem the sukuk after five years. It was arranged by GIB Capital as well as the bank’s own investment banking arm.

Kuwait's Boubyan Bank issued $250 million Perpetual Tier 1 Capital Certificates, completed May 16, the first public sukuk from a Kuwaiti bank, the first public sukuk out of Kuwait since 2007 and the world’s first public fully Basel III-compliant Tier 1 sukuk. The certificates were made available on the Irish Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Dubai. The issuance was advised by Dentons. Joint coordinators included Standard Chartered, HSBC and Boubyan, Emirates NBD Capital, Dubai Islamic Bank, KFH Capital and National Bank of Kuwait. Co-managers of the transaction were Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Ajman Bank and Noor Bank.

Several Omani private firms are keen to raise funds by way of sukuk after Mohammed Al Barwani Holding received approval for a OMR58 million-issue. The companies interested in issuing sukuk can avail tax concession if the special purpose vehicle for sukuk issue is registered in Oman and the issue is floated in the local market. Mohammed Al Barwani Holding's sukuk issue opened subscription on Monday either in Omani rial or dollar. So far, Oman witnessed only two sukuk issues that raised a total of OMR300 million, OMR50 million from real estate development firm Tilal Development Company and the other one a OMR250 million sovereign sukuk issue.

Saudi Arabia’s government is investigating the country’s banks for creating structured products which allow traders to speculate on the possible end of the currency’s US Dollar peg. Saudi officials continue to maintain that the country has no plans to devalue, and a number of political analysts say such a move would be a last resort. Saudi Arabia’s oil price driven crisis has seen the country’s budget deficit widening out to 19% of GDP. This caused a collapse in government spending which has slowed economic growth to near zero. A devaluing of the Riyal would increase oil revenues in Riyal terms and provide more domestic revenues for the government, but would make imports a lot more expensive.

Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) and Bahrain’s GFH Financial Group are jointly setting up an Islamic bank in Abu Dhabi’s new financial free zone with initial capital of $100 mn. ADFG's CEO Jassim Al Seddiqi said the bank will open very soon, it will be run as a commercial bank accepting offshore deposits and dealing in dollars. ADFG has recently raised its stake in GFH to 11.74% from 10% and the two firms are seeking other joint opportunities for the future.

Emirates Islamic Bank has launched the sale of $750 million in sukuk with five years duration. Pricing for the instrument has been set at 220 basis points over midswaps after attracting orders from investors worth more than $2.2 billion. The pricing is tighter than the 225 bps over the same benchmark indicated earlier in the day, and well inside initial guidance of the 240 bps area. The issuance was arranged by Standard Chartered, Al Hilal Bank, Bank ABC, Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, Maybank and Noor Bank.

GFH Financial Group plans to list its Bahraini subsidiary Khaleeji Commercial Bank in Dubai and acquire a financial services company to increase shareholder value. GFH's CEO Hisham al-Rayes said the company wants to regarded by investors as a financial holding company rather than an investment bank. The company aims to generate around 15% of its income over the next two years from real estate investments, which will be managed by a new Dubai-based operation called GFH Real Estate.