IslamicFinance.de

La Mauritanie compte un nouvel établissement bancaire avec la création de la Banque Mouamalat Assahiha (BMS) qui travaille exclusivement avec les produits de la finance islamique. La nouvelle banque est dotée d’un capital de 20 millions de dollars américains, soit six milliards d’ouguiyas. La BMS opère conformément aux principes de la Charia (loi islamique) en matière de transaction financière. Il s’agit d’une banque universelle d’investissement qui s’adresse à la fois aux entreprises et aux particuliers. La Mauritanie compte actuellement 18 banques à capitaux nationaux et étrangers dont cinq institutions de financement islamique.

Turkey has begun to give new banking licenses after the 2001 banking crisis, with no exception for interest-free Islamic banks, called participation banks. The format of two participation banks which will be established by the state-run Banks Ziraat Bank and Halkbank, will be clearer in a few months. As of now four banks have operated in the participation banking industry: Bank Asya, Turkiye Finans, Albaraka Turk and Kuveyt Turk. They constitute 5.3 percent of the Turkish banking industry. The aim of the Participation Banks Association of Turkey is to triple the share of Islamic banking assets in Turkey by 2023. Besides, Ziraat Bank has been planning to set up a separate Islamic bank. Moreover, Turkish lender Halkbank appears to be the second bank to start offering sharia-compliant services under a new entity.

Bahrain-based Islamic investment bank Gulf Finance House (GFH) reported a 50 per cent increase in net profit at $1.5 million for the first quarter this year. Total income for the period was at $11.1m. Income was primarily from fees from funds under management and a profit of $4.9m from repurchase of debts at discount. The bank's strategy of streamlined operations continued to bear results with a 30pc reduction in operating costs for the current quarter at $8.3m compared with $11.9m in first quarter of last year. GFH acting chief executive Hisham Al Rayes said GFH Capital undertook due diligence on a number of potential strategic investors for Leeds United FC and exit arrangements for Mega City Navi Mumbai focusing on profitable growth.

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) said yesterday that it has assessed the deposit liabilities of Jaiz Bank Plc, and that in a couple of weeks, the bank will start paying premium as insurance cover for its depositors. NDIC Managing Director/CEO Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim said the premium collected from the bank would be invested in non-interest bearing instruments. A sensitisation workshop for NDIC solicitors was organized to educate the legal team because excessive litigations remained a major challenge to developing formidable deposit insurance system in the country. According to him, other challenges are the lack of proper understanding of the distinction in the legal status of NDIC as liquidator and deposit insurer by legal practitioners, the court and the public at large.

The Finance Ministry has approved a 6-billion-baht fund for recapitalization of the Islamic Bank of Thailand, of which the ministry is the major shareholder. The project aims at reviving the bank after it has been plagued by the problem of non-performing loans (NPLs). Out of the 6-billion-baht rehabilitation fund, 3 billion will come from the ministry itself, and the rest from the Government Savings Bank and the Krung Thai Bank, which are shareholders of the Islamic Bank. The first allocation of 920 million baht under the rehabilitation scheme will be made to the Islamic Bank in June. However, the second batch of 3 billion baht has yet to be approved by the parliament and depends on the needs for money by other units.

As part of an initiative backed by the Islamist government, state-run Ziraat Bank is working to set up a Shari’ah-compliant entity. Turkey already has four Islamic banks, known locally as participation banks, of which three are foreign-owned. But Shari’ah-compliant assets account for just 5 percent of total banking assets, far below the average of 25 per cent in the Gulf región. Size is mostly the problem. Islamic banks in Turkey are also lagging in innovation compared to peers elsewhere in the Muslim world. Stronger and larger Islamic banks could strengthen Turkey's financial position. Domestically, they could lure funds that could help fund Turkey's GDP growth. Internationally, stronger Islamic banks would enable Turkey to attract more cash from the Gulf and Asia.

Parviz Aghili earlier this year opened what is in effect the Iran's only privately owned bank, the Middle East Bank. It focuses on domestic corporate clients and wealthy individuals within Iran’s private sector. Since it opened its doors in January, the Middle East bank – the smallest Iranian bank with only three branches so far – has attracted 1.4tn rials ($114m) in deposits and granted 3tn rials in loans. But the greater challenge for the western-educated veteran banker will be avoiding to become state-owned. Aghili said the bank has no interest in attracting state-owned or quasi-state-owned companies as shareholders or as clients. For now the Middle East bank plans to remain small. Moreover, it plans to open representative offices in countries such as India and Oman.

After the European Union imposed sanctions on Iran-based Bank Mellat and removed them in January, the EU Council has now launched an appeal against the decision of the court. However, Bank Mellat is at present considering applying to the EU Court to strike out the EU Council’s appeal on the grounds that the appeal was filed too late. According to Sarosh Zaiwalla, senior partner at Zaiwalla & Co, the EU Council appealed the decision due to political pressure from the United States government to reinstate sanctions. He stressed the importance of an independent court system in order to deal with businesses who have disputes criss-crossing legal borders.

HSBC reported profits before tax of US$8.4 billion for its global business during the first quarter, a 95 per cent increase on the amount generated during the corresponding period a year earlier. HSBC Middle East, the bank's regional arm, reported profits before tax of $524 million for the first quarter, a 57.8 per cent increase compared with a year earlier, as it released provisions earlier made for bad debts. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank reported net profit at group level of Dh340.1m for the first quarter, an increase of 10.6 per cent compared with a year earlier. ADIB reported 5.4 per cent growth in net customer financing assets during the quarter to Dh54bn. At the same time, the bank's provisions and charges for bad debts were flat compared with a year ago at Dh185.5m.

Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) reported a first quarter net profit of Dhs33.2 million, a 101 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The total income for the three months rose up by 42 per cent to reach Dhs443 million. EIB also reported a 42 per cent increase in operating profit before an impairment of Dhs195 million in the first quarter. The bank’s non-performing ratio as of March 31, 2013, improved to 19.2 per cent, from 20.4 per cent on December 31, 2012. EIB’s customer deposits stood at Dhs26.3 billion while the customer financing increased five per cent to Dhs20.7 billion. The bank maintained a financing-to-deposit ratio of 93 per cent, and a capital adequacy ratio of 16.3 per cent. According to Jamal Bin Ghalaita, chief executive officer of Emirates Islamic Bank, the bank has targeted segments of SME and priority customers and also continued to develop its commercial segment.

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) is anxious to expand but is being held back in part by the unrest dominating the Middle East, according to its CEO Abdulla Al-Hamli. The bank expects to see close to 17 percent growth in net profit this year. DIB shares are up 43 percent so far this year to 2.88 dirhams, giving it a market capitalization of about AED 10.9 billion. After the global credit crisis the bank cut real estate investment to 27 percent of its portfolio from 45 percent in 2008. DIB’s non performing loans peaked at 14.5 percent after the crisis and dropped to 12 percent by the end of 2012. DIB is considering its expansion into Asian markets like Malaysia, Indonesia and India.

Qatar Islamic Bank is not expecting to issue more Islamic bonds before 2014, according to its Chief Executive Officer Bassel Gamal. The CEO said that there seems to be enough liquidity currently. Last October, it tapped the bond market with a US$750 million five year sukuk bond issue. This is part of the overall sukuk programme of the bank valued at US$1.5 billion. Gamal added that local currency sukuks would be expected to be issued in the coming years. He also said that many countries encourage local issuances of sukuk, such as Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

Shari’ah-compliant Al Salam Bank-Bahrain reported a net profit of BHD 3.053 million in the first quarter of 2013, up 68 per cent. The bank also reported a rise of 32 per cent in total operating income to BHD 6.184 million. Total operating expenses fell BHD 122,000 to BHD 2.63 million, mainly as a result of an 8.5 per cent cut in staff costs to BHD 1.38 million. Provisions and write-offs were BHD 501,000 against BHD 117,000 in the same period last year. Al Salam Bank-Bahrain reported total assets of BHD 989.293 million, up from BHD 942.218 million in Q1 2012. Total liabilities rose from BHD 715.877 million to BHD 766.633 million.

The Islamic division of South Africa's First National Bank has hired a new sharia advisory committee and aims to rebrand itself. The new committee consists of Aznan Hasan, Yusus Patel and Zaid Haspatel. According to the chief executive of the Islamic business, Amman Muhammad, they will no longer be called board, but “sharia advisory committee” and their role is clearly defined. He added that the new team would review the bank's previous sharia products. FNB's previous sharia board resigned last July after disagreements over the board's role when new management took charge of the división. Under the new structure, the committee will no longer play a role in the day-to-day running of the business, removing the potential for conflicts.

Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB) narrowed its losses in 2012 a week after it raised £10 million ($15.5 million) from majority shareholder Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB). Last week, IBB raised £10 million by placing 1 billion shares with QIIB at a price of 1 penny each, raising the number of its outstanding ordinary shares to 4.5bn. In 2012, IBB posted a loss of £6.99m versus a loss of £9m a year earlier. Home financing business helped narrow the gap by nearly doubling to £117m in 2012 versus £61m a year earlier. The bank did not disclose personnel or administrative expenses, which in the past have represented the bulk of its costs. QIIB, which now owns 91 percent of IBB, has been in discussions since last June with Qatari lender Masraf Al Rayan to sell a controlling stake in the British bank.

Bank Muamalat Indonesia reported a 42.3 percent increase in net profit to Rp389.4 billion (RM121.48 million) last year from Rp273.6 billion (RM85.35 million) in the previous year. The net profit before tax reached Rp521.8 billion (RM162.78 million) or an increase of 40.4 percent from Rp371.7 billion (RM115.96 million) in 2011. The increase in net profit of the bank was attributable to a 38.1 percent rise in assets to Rp44.9 trillion (RM14 billion) in 2012. Its non performing financing remains at 1.81 percent. In 2012 , Bank Muamalat issued sharia bonds valued at Rp800 billion (RM249,57 million).

Jaiz Bank Plc has commenced operations in Gombe State, is now located in four states in Nigeria. In the next four years, the bank plans to be in all the 36 states of the federation. Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank, Alhaji Umru Mutallab emphasized the bank’s desire to make positive contributions in the society as well as to provide access to innovative channels of financing as alternatives to interest-based systems. He assured that the bank was opened to all irrespective of race or religion.

Islamic Bank of Britain has raised £10m through a placing of 1,000 million ordinary shares at 1p each with its majority shareholder, Qatar International Islamic Bank.

Bahrain-based Al Baraka Bank wants its new five-year global expansion strategy to put more emphasis on Africa, particularly North Africa. The bank already has ventures in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Its goal is to grow group assets and income almost twofold in the next five years. This five-year expansion plan will certainly include investments in Libya and Morocco. The bank could splurge up to $100 million this year in Libya. In Morocco, the financial services firm will launch a separate operation with a $100 million initial capital outlay within 12 months. Moreover, the group is thinking about having an Al Baraka Bank Africa brand presence.

L’installation au Maroc de la Faisal Islamic Bank appartenant au prince saoudien Mohammed Al Faisal Al Saoud n’est qu’une question de temps. En effet, la banque islamique n’attend que l’approbation du projet de loi sur la finance islamique qui devrait entrer en vigueur début 2014. Ce dernier ainsi que le ministre du Budget, Driss El Azami, se sont entretenus pour la deuxième fois avec les responsables de la banque sur le futur partenariat.