#Sukuk market long way from 2012 heyday: Report

The sukuk market is struggling to recover from last year’s dip in issuance and it could take years for supply to return. According to a recent Thomson Reuters report, issuance of sukuk is down 18% for the first nine months this year compared with the same period last year, while the year-end figure could exceed $50 billion. Issuance is estimated to gradually recover over the next few years to $54 billion in 2017 and $59 billion in 2018, but this is well below the record $134 billion seen in 2012. This is largely due to the lasting effects of Malaysia’s central bank decision to stop issuing short-term sukuk in 2015. The survey found that Sukuk still lack active secondary markets while governments have yet to incorporate them into their debt management strategies, steps which could increase their appeal.