IslamicFinance.de

The long-term issuer default ratings of Saudi British Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi and Arab National Bank were revised to negative from stable
Ratings agency Fitch has downgraded the outlooks on 3 Saudi Arabian banks as low Crude Oil prices continue to plague the Kingdom’s economy.
The long-term issuer default ratings of Saudi British Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi and Arab National Bank were revised to negative from stable, Fitch said in a statement.
The revision was based on the tougher operating environment facing the Saudi Arabian banking sector, mainly due to the effect of lower Crude Oil prices on government spending and the filter down effect this has on the rest of the economy.

Saudi Arabia's National Industrialization Company (Tasnee) has signed a sharia-compliant loan facility worth SR4 billion ($1.06 billion) with seven Saudi banks and Emirates NBD. The Saudi banks which contributed are Riyad Bank, Al Rajhi Bank, Bank Al Bilad, Saudi British Bank, Samba Financial Group, Banque Saudi Fransi and Saudi Investment Bank. The financing, signed on Sunday, will be repaid in eight years including a one-year grace period. The loan, which was covered 1.5 times, will finance the company's stakes in future projects and refinance existing loans.

Al Rajhi Bank will reportedly distribute dividends worth SR2.25bn ($599.9m) for the first six months of 2013. This is equivalent to 1.5 riyals per share. The amount is slightly higher than the 1.25 riyals per share which the bank paid last year. Separately, Banque Saudi Fransi said it would distribute dividends worth SR361.6m ($96.4m) for the first six months of the year. This equates to 0.4 riyals per share. In 2012, Banque Saudi Fransi paid a full-year dividend of 0.8 riyals per share, indicating that this year's payment is in line with that made last year. Al Rajhi is expected to release its second-quarter earnings around July 16.

Saudi Automotive Services' shares decreased by 0.50% to SR19.95. The company announced that it signed up for a SR255m Islamic credit facility with Banque Saudi Fransi. The financial means will flow into the realization of expansion plans.

Banque Saudi Fransi arranged a $2 billion Islamic bond program as part of the Riyadh-based lender’s plans to mix up its sources of financing.
Islamic bond sales in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, progressed to a record $6.55 billion so far this year as the government’s spending plan encourages companies to raise funds to invest.
Lead arrangers of the program were Citigroup Inc. (C), Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank AG (DBK).

Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) successfully closed a three-year SR2.5 billion ($667 million) syndicated Shariah-compliant facility from four leading Saudi Arabian banks on competitive market terms.
The purpose of the facility is the retaining and increasing of its medium term funding.
Mandated lead arrangers for the facility will be leading Saudi banks Riyad Bank, Al-Rajhi Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi and The Saudi British Bank, while Riyad Bank will perform the role of Murabaha Facility Agent.

Arab National Bank (ANB) in cooperation with Al Khalij Commercial Bank (al khaliji), Banque Saudi Fransi and Gulf International Bank funded a 2 years facility for Zain KSA which has the purpose to refinance and upsize an existing US$ 585 million facility.

Saudi Electricity Co (SEC) has finalised an Islamic financing worth 5 billion riyals ($1.33 billion) with four local banks to finance projects in the kingdom.
The 15-year murabaha financing was provided by Saudi Arabia's largest lender by assets, the National Commercial Bank, alongside Saudi British Bank 1060.SE (SABB), Samba Financial Group 1090.SE and Banque Saudi Fransi 1050.SE.