World's first Basel III Tier 1 Sukuk may boost supply - Fitch

Fitch Ratings claims that after Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank's (ADIB) hybrid Tier 1 Sukuk further UAE banks are likely to follow their example and issue Basel III-compliant bonds. Both conventional and Shari’ah-compliant banks are expected to issue Tier 1 products in the coming year. Fitch also noted that relatively high levels of capital are a necessity for banks in the Gulf region in order to deal with the difficulties in the operating environment. Moreover, hybrid Tier 1 instruments are believed to be a cost-effective means of accessing a wider investor base.