IslamicFinance.de

When asked about the plans of the central bank on Al-Amanah Bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. said they found it best to leave it to the Legislative to decide how the government will go about the planned sale, as well as on how the state will accommodate Islamic-based banking activities. BSP has led the drafting of a law amending AIIB charter and creating an Islamic banking system. The bill thereon which has been filed in the House of Representatives aims to create an expanded Islamic banking system and address constraints including the issues on taxation. Currently, Al-Amanah Bank is the first and only Islamic bank authorized to practice Islamic banking in the country.

Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB), a prominent Islamic retail bank, announced its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2015 recording net profit of BD 8 million compared to BD 3.8 million reported in 2014. The bank has recorded a net profit of BD 1.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to a net profit of BD 1 million reported in the fourth quarter of last year. Total assets also grew to BD 654 million, increased by 9.6% compared to 2014. Return on average assets reached 1.3%. With these results, the bank sustained its profitability and strengthened its financial position with a liquid assets ratio in the excess of 22.5% and capital adequacy ratio of 18.8%.

Tajikistan is keen to benefit from Islamic banking and utilise the experiences of Islamic banks in his country, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Nematullo Hikmatullozoda has said. Hikmatullozoda, who visited QIIB headquarters yesterday expressed the hope that Tajikistan would be able to attract Islamic banks to his country, where his ministry is making efforts to convince investors about the attractive investment opportunities available. In particular, Tajikistan is keen on expanding and further cementing the relationship with Qatar’s financial and business sectors.

Western companies have been rushing into Iran for a part of post-sanctions business action but European banks, still reeling from punitive US fines over links to the country, are waiting on the sidelines until they feel it is safe to do business with Tehran. France has already hailed a new era after welcoming Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who sealed a host of post-sanctions deals last week. But when it comes to high finance, there is hesitation, at least on the part of European banks. The hefty fines levied on these financial institutions during the sanctions has made them particularly wary. European banks are not only confronted with potential sanctions risks, but also other exposure points under international banking regulations and practices.

Since Parliament has finally approved Islamic Banking, an increase is expected in investment from numerous Islamic Banks. Abubaker B. Mayanja, financial economist with ABL Dunamis, anticipates an increase in Capital inflow of $600m over the medium term; driven first by international banks that already include Islamic Banking products in their offering elsewhere. The second wave will come from regional players that are already in the East African market. The third wave will come from the traditional Middle East players. The fourth wave will be an expansion of Islamic finance system; insurance (Takaful), capital markets- sukuk bonds and funds, pension management, leasing (Ijara), mortgages and investment banking.

Silkbank introduced Emaan Islamic Banking through conversion of its seven conventional banking branches into dedicated Islamic Banking branches. In early 2013, three new branches were added to the Islamic Banking network. Emaan Islamic Banking offers a suite of deposit products as well as a range of asset products. The Islamic Banking Division has an alliance with Pak Qatar Family Takaful to provide Takaful & Saving Plans. With the implementation of the SBP Shari’ah Governance Framework and induction of a renowned Shariah scholar, the Islamic Banking Division endeavours to develop Islamic Banking products in Pakistan and serve as a catalyst in Islamic Banking growth in the region. The Bank plans to add 60 new branches in 2016 to the existing network and another 102 branches in the next two years.

In a new report, Fitch Ratings says Islamic finance is a mature and developed industry in Saudi Arabia, representing about two-thirds of total bank financing. About 38% comes from Islamic banks and 28% from the Islamic windows of conventional banks. Due to the largely Islamic finance nature of the lending market in Saudi Arabia, the performance and credit matrices of both Islamic and conventional banks are to a large extent similar. All banks are subject to a single supervisory authority and the same disclosure requirements. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) regulates sharia-compliant banks in the same way as it regulates conventional banks. However, one of the key differences between conventional and Islamic banks is the structure of their liquidity/investment portfolios.

The proposed merger of Malaysia Building Society Bhd (MBSB) and Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, to create the country’s biggest standalone Islamic bank has fallen through. MBSB said on Tuesday that after a series of discussions and negotiations, the financial institution and the shareholders of Bank Muamalat -- DRB-Hicom Bhd and Khazanah Nasional Bhd – have not been able to reach an agreement on the terms and conditions of the proposed merger. Accordingly, the parties have mutually agreed to end all discussions and not proceed with the proposed merger. The deadline for the proposed merger between MBSB and Bank Muamalat was on Tuesday.

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov plans to open an Islamic bank, with help from the United Arab Emirates. Kadyrov is known for his conservative, heavy-handed response to dissent against his rule and that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, recently calling for the Russian opposition to be tried as “enemies of the state.” Kadyrov has repeatedly portrayed himself as a protector of moderate Islam in the primarily Muslim Chechnya. Now Kadyrov has revealed that he is setting up a new project to attract more investment from the Gulf. He said he had spoken with Abu Dhabi-based development company Mazcorp and it had agreed to help him “move towards the realization of the project.”

The Islamic banking system continues making its way to Russia, although not as quickly as its supporters would like, primarily Russian Muslims who number 21 million people, according to various estimates. The main problems relate to the need to change the Russian legislation. But the first steps in this direction are already being made. A draft of amendments to the Civil Code was submitted to the State Duma this week to help separate Islamic money flows from non-Islamic funds. The document prepared by Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Financial Market Dmitry Savelyev stipulates opening special bank accounts to allow investing funds on these accounts into assets permitted by the Code of Muslim Laws.

Bahrain's Al Baraka Islamic Bank plans to open a sharia-compliant bank in France next year as the lender seeks to expand into Europe, Chief Executive Adnan Ahmed Yousif said on Sunday. France has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe but cultural and legal obstacles have impeded the development of its Islamic finance industry. Some Gulf-based Islamic banks that have expanded in Europe have gone elsewhere. Qatar's Masraf Al Rayan owns Al Rayan Bank in the United Kingdom, while Kuwait Finance House's Turkish arm opened its first branch in Germany last year. Al Baraka also plans to acquire a bank in Indonesia either this year or in 2017 and was in talks with the Indonesian central bank governor, Yousif said.

An agreement has been reached in Groznyy, the capital of Russia's Chechen Republic, to open an Islamic bank in the republic, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said. Executives of Mazkorp company Hilal Suhail Hilal Rashid Al Mazrouei and Wael Saab came from the UAE and agreed to start implementing the project. Opening of the bank is of enormous value for the republic, Kadyrov said. Large properties are under development in Chechnya with participation of capital from the UAE. The decision was also made at the meeting with the management of Mazkorp on shareholding participation in development of Magnus-Groznyy pharmaceutical cluster to start next year and on investment into construction of Ahmat-Tower multifunctional high-rise property in the capital of Chechnya.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) rejected request of Jehangir Siddiqui and Company Limited (JSCL) to review its decision to disallow Dubai Bank to sell out its shares to its sponsor shareholders of BankIslami. JSCL approached the central bank in September 2015 to submit an application to the central bank with suggestions in order to getting additional shares in BankIslami. However, the central bank retained its decision and disallowed the management of BankIslami to sell its stakes of Dubai Bank to JSCL in pursuant to Founding Shareholding Agreement under which sponsor shareholders are not allowed to increase its shareholding. Earlier in August 2015, a consortium led by Ali Hussain of JSCL and Alkaram Group offered Dubai Bank to purchase its 144.200 million in the BankIslami.

There’s so much more to finance than just returns, says alternative finance expert Tiara Letourneau (Cambridge Judge Business School MFin 2014). She believes that, used wisely, financial systems can make the world a better place, on both an individual and a global level. Letourneau is now based in Seoul, South Korea, in a new role – strategist at the Green Climate Fund. It’s a global platform, accountable to the United Nations, set up by 194 governments to respond to climate change by investing in low-emission and climate-resilient development. The private sector is needed to invest in projects that will enable the switch to low-emissions technologies, says Letourneau. It’s a big challenge – one of the biggest. And to Letourneau, it’s yet another opportunity to use financial systems to make the world a better place.

Many Iranian banks have created a roadmap to open up to the world. Bank Pasargad, the second-largest finance company of Iran with billions of dollars of blocked assets in many countries worldwide, is one of them. According to Mostafa Beheshtirooy, a member of the executive board at Bank Pasargad, the bank has started conducting research into Turkey, Germany, Spain and China, adding that business could be done via a local partner or a take-over of a bank. Beheshtirooy said that, despite the negative impacts of the rising dollar and falling oil prices, the bank's total assets will reach $70 billion; in stark contrast to the current $19 billion it holds.

Financial experts and researchers at international conference on Islamic financing have emphasised the need for framing a holistic vision for inclusive growth and promotion of Islamic mode of financing essentially with focus on poverty alleviation, access to loans to small growers, and reducing income inequalities. The two-day international moot titled “Towards Financial Inclusion: Developments in Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance”, held under the auspices of Centre for Excellence in Islamic Finance (CEIF), IMSciences, in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, and the UK Department for International Development (UK-DFID), aimed at promoting academic, research, and best industry practices of Islamic finance as joint venture with commercial banks, regulators, universities, Islamic financial resources centers.

Bahrain's central bank said on Tuesday it is taking steps to close down Iranian-owned Future Bank, which is based in the Gulf state. Bahrain's central bank has not elaborated on its reasons for the action. Future Bank, based in Manama, is a commercial bank which was founded as a joint venture between two Iranian banks - Bank Saderat and Bank Melli - and Bahrain's Ahli United Bank. The bank's assets stood at 569.4 million dinars ($1.51 billion) at the end of September 2015. On Monday, Ebtisam al-Arrayed, head of regulatory policy at the central bank, said that the regulator had yet to make a decision about Future Bank after placing it under its administration last year, along with Iran Insurance Co - the Bahrain branch of an Iranian insurer.

Mina Mehrnoush, the head of planning at Iran’s Organization for Trade Development, said three Russian banks have voiced their readiness to promote banking relations with the Islamic Republic in the near future in a bid to boost commercial cooperation between Tehran and Moscow. Mehrnoush also said that during a recent visit to Russia by an Iranian trade delegation, “good meetings” were held with three Russian banks, namely Mir Business Bank, Tempbank and RFC Bank. Mir Business Bank, which is the agent bank of Bank Melli Iran, agreed to provide good facilities and open proper credit lines for Iran, she said. The Iranian trade official went on to say that other issues were also discussed in her meetings with Russian banking officials, including opening accounts for Iranian companies without having to make a trip to Russia.

The fourth-quarter results of leading Saudi banks show a number of these institutions are facing a squeeze on profits as both loans and deposits decline and asset quality deteriorates further. At the close of the fourth quarter, Saudi Hollandi Bank reported a 2.3 per cent fall in fourth-quarter net profit on higher staffing costs and provisions for bad loans. Saudi British Bank (SABB), an affiliate of HSBC Holdings, posted a 3.1 per cent drop in fourth-quarter net profit and Riyad Bank posted a 19.7 per cent fall in fourth-quarter net profit, in line with analysts’ forecasts as Samba Financial Group reported flat net profit for the fourth quarter. The notable exception was Al Rajhi Bank which reported a 28.2 per cent rise in its fourth-quarter net profit.

Many industry observers assert that all Islamic banking products in essence are replicas of conventional banking products, be they Islamic deposits or financing products based on leasing or trade-based contracts. A replica, however, by its very nature and definition is inferior to the original, and should sell for a significantly lower price. Islamic banking products are certainly not replicas in this sense, as in most cases they happen to be more expensive than their conventional counterparts. It is therefore not a co-incidence that it is more popular in the countries where Muslims have higher per-capita income and wealth. Within other countries, Islamic banking and finance is serving the relatively affluent segments of the society.