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Limitless LLC, the Dubai-based developer, has reportedly asked creditors to defer the first installment on its $1.2 billion restructured debt until the end of 2015. The company has offered banks 200 million dirhams ($54 million) toward the $400 million amortization due in December. Limitless, which was put under the management of state-controlled developer Nakheel PJSC in 2010, has requested postponement of payment for a year. The company is revising business plans and will approach lenders about the debt maturing in 2014, its chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said. Options include sale of land in Jebel Ali, he added. Seemingly, the company reached an arrangement that would give lenders a profit rate equivalent to interest of 175 basis points over the London interbank offered rate and may extend payment by five years.

Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House (GFH) plans to issue a sukuk or arrange new debt facilities of up to $500 million. The funds raised will be used to restructure the current liabilities, develop projects and for acquisitions of new businesses. The announcement follows ordinary and extraordinary general meetings of the bank yesterday, with the board getting authorisation from shareholders to determine the final structure of the sukuk or the debt facilities. GFH chairman Dr Ahmed Al Mutawa said that the bank reported a net profit of $6.3 million, reduced operating cost by 20 per cent and successfully restructured debt last year. Additionally, the shareholders approved the appointment of eight new members to the board for three years. The auditors and the Sharia supervisory board have been reappointed for the year.

The Saudi Electricity Co (SEC) has successfully managed to price and allocate two global sukuk, worth $2.5bn (SR9.37bn). The bonds were reportedly issued in two separate tranches: The first is a $1.5bn 10-year bond at a rate of 4% and the second is a $1bn 30-year note at 5.5%. Subscription to the bonds reached $12.5bn, or five times of the required fund.

BLME, Europe's largest Islamic bank, has been selected to co-lead the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) US$1.5 billion five-year Sukuk. The bank's representative office in Dubai was appointed in to handle the issuance. DB Sukuk is the largest ever Islamic bond issued from the AAA rated supranational lender in 2014. It is also the largest Sukuk issuance BLME has been appointed to act as co-lead manager on to date. The IDB issued 16 Sukuk in London since 2005 which raised around US$7 billion. It has a US$ 313 million programme listed in Malaysia and has raised 700 million ringgit since 2008 via three Sukuk. BLME listed on NASDAQ Dubai in October 2013, and announced a strong performance for the full year on 3rdMarch 2014.

A group of Saudi Arabian lenders has rejected an invitation from Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Co. to attend a meeting next month to discuss their claims on $5.9 billion of debt. The banks have no interest in attending the meeting proposed, according to a letter to Algosaibi from a law firm representing the unnamed Saudi lenders. The letter, dated April 3, didn’t give a reason why the banks don’t want to attend. Algosaibi and billionaire Maan al-Sanea’s Saad Group missed payments on at least $15.7 billion of debt in 2009 in the Middle East’s biggest default, as the global financial crisis froze credit markets and asset prices slumped. The two family holding companies, which are related by marital ties, have been locked in legal disputes ever since.

In a statement to the Bahrain Bourse, Al Salam Bank-Bahrain noted the increase in its authorised share capital to BHD 250 million and in its issued and paid up share capital to BHD 214,093,075. The bank’s share capital has been increased as part of its acquisition of BMI Bank, approved by shareholders at EGM on 8 October 2013 and following the obtaining of the required regulatory approvals.

Qatar-based Islamic Holding Group reported a net profit of QR2.96bn for the first quarter of 2014, up 40 percent compared to QR2.11bn in the corresponding period in 2013. Dr Yousef Ahmed Al Neamah, Chairman and Managing Director of the group, said during a meeting of the board of directors that these positive results are an indicator of growth potential. He added that there was a sense of optimism, especially at the Qatar Exchange. The group seeks to discover new opportunities for investment, achieving better growth and adequate return for the shareholders.

Murabaha Company inked a deal with Saudi-Kuwaiti Finance House (KFH-Saudi) to serve as its financial advisor, in order to plan and take steps towards the company’s goal to offer 30% of its shares for public offering. KFH-Saudi CEO Tarek Al-Rekheimi said that the bank will, according to this agreement, offer all financial consultations regarding the evaluation of the company, and the preparation of all documents, as per regulations. He went on to say that the bank works with several Saudi corporations to enlist them in the Saudi market during the coming period. He stressed that the increase in number of companies expected to be offered during the coming period, will play a significant role in reinforcing the Saudi bourse, not to mention opening commercial and financial channels for those companies, in order to diversify forms of financing.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC (ADIB) is seeking to bring a boom in Shariah-compliant lending to the expatriate population in the UAE. ADIB agreed to buy the conventional retail assets of Barclays Plc (BARC) in the United Arab Emirates for 650 million dirhams ($177 million). The deal is the second of its kind for ADIB, which bought a stake in Egypt’s National Bank of Development in 2007. ADIB has been a corporate-focused bank so having a larger retail footprint will be positive for balancing it’s loan book. Barclays’s U.A.E. customers will notice a difference during the transition, even while they won’t experience any disruption.

The loan book of Saudi banks is expected to grow at pace of 12% in 2014. The increased proportion of younger population in Saudi Arabia can result in demand for personal financing to grow robustly. The UAE’s banking sector indicates strong loan growth led by retail and consumer banking and improved profitability. In Oman, lending slowed in 2013, but is expected to improve in 2014 and can even reach 10%. Kuwait bank lending is expected to pick up in 2014 after investment firms cut debt and government implements projects. In Bahrain further consolidation is expected this year after a spree of tie-ups in 2013. Qatar’s banking system remains profitable. The Qatar Central Bank has also come out with guidelines for implementing capital adequacy and liquidity under Basel III in 2014 and Qatari banks will adhere to it.

Islamic banking in Oman is growing at a slower pace than expected and requires new legislation and stronger public awareness of the industry to flourish, Bank Nizwa CEO Jamil El Jaroudi said. He added that there is also a skills shortage in the Omani market. The legal and regulatory framework in Oman supports the launch of the Islamic banking industry but further development of legislature is needed for the sector to mature. Bank Nizwa, Oman's first independent Islamic bank, started operations in January 2013 and raised OMR 60 million in an initial public offering of 40% of its shares in May 2013. Jaroudi said the bank had no plans to issue new sukuk, or Islamic bonds. He said the bank planned to launch Internet banking services and other shariah-compliant products.

Noor Bank on Monday reported a net profit of Dh255 million for 2013, up from Dh76 million for the year ended 2012. Last year, Noor Bank’s total assets rose 29 per cent to Dh23.2 billion, compared with Dh18 billion, at the beginning of the year. While the total customer financing increased by 32 per cent to Dh14.3 billion, banks’ customer deposits increased by 33 per cent to Dh18.6 billion in 2013. The bank is strongly capitalised with a capital adequacy ratio of 17.6 per cent and has a coverage ratio of almost 100 per cent. With a strong wholesale and retail deposit base, the bank is abundantly liquid. In 2013, Noor Bank launched its trade and SME brand, Noor Trade, and more than doubled financing to SMEs.

Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Co. invited creditors including BNP Paribas SA (BNP) and Standard Chartered Plc to discuss claims on $5.9 billion of debt as it seeks to recover from the Middle East’s biggest default. The Saudi Arabian company will outline proposals aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement with more than 70 creditors at a May 7 meeting in Dubai. The company didn’t give further details on the proposed terms. Banks rejected an original debt restructuring proposal from Algosaibi four years ago. Algosaibi hired Simon Charlton, former head of forensic services in the Middle East for Deloitte LLP, as chief restructuring officer and Ben Jones, also from Deloitte, as chief financial officer last June to restructure its operations.

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has entered into exclusive discussions to acquire a stake in Turkey’s Bank Asya. QIB is seeking to finalise the transaction within the next few months, subject to obtaining the required regulatory approvals. The Qatari bank did not say what stake it might buy or disclose any other details. Bank Asya had said earlier it had started talks on a strategic partnership with QIB and planned to complete the process soon. It gave no further details. The Islamic bank has been in focus since state-owned companies and institutional depositors have reportedly withdrawn 4 billion lira ($1.8 billion), or some 20 percent of the bank’s total deposits. Bank Asya said it had weathered the mass deposit withdrawals and was not at risk.

The Omani Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs held a seminar for Waqaf agents, in cooperation with Meethaq for Islamic banking at the Institute of Sharia Sciences. The seminar aims to recall the importance of Waqaf in contemporary life, the call to revive the Waqaf Sunnah in modern methods and strengthening the spirit of cooperation and partnership between the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Waqaf agents and other entities. Many working papers were presented in the seminar. The first paper which was presented highlighted the efforts of the ministry to organise Waqaf work, types and importance of Waqaf, the memorandum of understanding with Meethaq for Islamic banking and the management techniques to develop the Waqaf fund, among others.

Experts at the seminar of ‘Developing a sustainable Islamic banking industry in Oman’ have said that the demographic changes in the country and the rising employment level will bring a ‘huge potential’ for growth in the financial sector. Islamic banks will need to play an effective role in order to have their share of the cash. When it comes to the regulation of Islamic finance, particularly in liquidity and treasury management, Oman is one of the most advanced countries. However, the lack of a global Islamic capital market, particularly an Islamic interbank market, and the shortage of short-term, long-term, or highly tradable investments which will bring the capital risk, are the main issues concerning the development of Islamic banking.

Dubai's Tecom Investments has sent a delegation from Dubai’s Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City to meet representatives from Islamic finance academic institutions in Malaysia in an effort to bring some them to the emirate. The delegation examined different Islamic economics courses related to Sharia-compliant funds, sukuk, murabaha and the regulatory frameworks related to Islamic finance. Dubai aims to bring two renowned Islamic finance universities to the city – the International Islamic University Malaysia and The Global University of Islamic Finance. It is also keen to bring in governmental professional development centres such as the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia. The delegation also visited the Labuan International Business and Finance Centre, which has a research focus on Islamic wealth management.

Dubai-based Souq.com, an Arab e-commerce site, has secured a $75 million investment from Naspers, a South African media organization. Besides, Silent Herdsman, which produces wearables for cows, has received £3M ($4.9 million) in funding. Moreover, Waltham, MA-based Actifio, which provides copy data virtualization to customers, has gained $100 million in an oversubscribed investment round. Software defined storage company Amplidata has realized an $11 million investment led by Intel Capital and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC has pumped about $63 million into U.K.-based energy tech company Intelligent Energy Holdings. Moreover, there have been several Mergers & Acquisitions, including Palo Alto Networks buying cybersecurity startup Cyvera.

Companies in the UAE will require a lot more than 8,000 new employees trained in Islamic finance next year as Dubai positions itself as the capital of the $8 trillion Islamic economy. The bulk of the additional manpower will be required by banks offering Sharia-compliant products and services. Recruiters in the UAE are already seeing a 50 per cent growth in demand for candidates with Islamic finance experience. Many companies are currently looking to fill positions across all levels, from relationship management, project management to risk management and marketing. The talent shortage can be addressed by utilising the existing pool of professionals working in banks and financial services firms, and providing them with Islamic finance training.

According to the GCC Wealth Insight Report 2014 by Emirates Investment Bank (EIB), 59 per cent of the GCC millionaires prefer a local bank to help them manage their money. 38 per cent of the respondents cited perceived security and trust as the main reasons for their preference. Nearly three in ten (28 per cent) said they believe local banks have a better understanding of the local regulations or the market. When choosing a bank to manage their money, the millionaires consider an institution’s level of service, brand and reputation and fees before making a decision.