IslamicFinance.de

Al Baraka Islamic Bank has launched a promotional campaign to provide property financing to the beneficiaries of the Housing Ministry’s Mazaya programme. Under the campaign, profit rates will be calculated at competitive rates, there will be no down payments, and zero banking fees. The bank will also cover the fees of life insurance for the beneficiaries and will provide fire insurance for the property. Also, there will be instant prizes for the executed deals. The financing is up to BD120,000 with maximum duration of 25 years.

Al Baraka Islamic Bank and Bahrain Bourse (BHB) have signed an agreement allowing the bank to buy and sell Sharia-complaint ijara sukuk through the exchange. Proceeds from the sukuk will contribute to facilitating the bank’s financing operations for its underlying clients. The agreement aims to diversify the commodities available for underlying clients when conducting a commodity-based murabaha transaction to include government-based sukuk issued by the Central Bank of Bahrain.

Al Baraka Islamic Bank organized an art exhibition for talented employees of the Bank as well as for the staff of Al Baraka Banking Group. The Art exhibition took place on 28th January 2020 at the Al Baraka Headquarters in Bahrain Bay. Al Baraka Group President Mr. Adnan Ahmed Yousif said the exhibition aimed to explore the historical legacies of Bahrain, from traditional crafts, industry and pop culture to modernism’s forms, including art and architecture there by encouraging the talented employees. He further stated that some of the paintings would be selected for use in the Group’s calendars and greeting cards.

Bahrain's Al Baraka Islamic Bank plans to open a sharia-compliant bank in France next year as the lender seeks to expand into Europe, Chief Executive Adnan Ahmed Yousif said on Sunday. France has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe but cultural and legal obstacles have impeded the development of its Islamic finance industry. Some Gulf-based Islamic banks that have expanded in Europe have gone elsewhere. Qatar's Masraf Al Rayan owns Al Rayan Bank in the United Kingdom, while Kuwait Finance House's Turkish arm opened its first branch in Germany last year. Al Baraka also plans to acquire a bank in Indonesia either this year or in 2017 and was in talks with the Indonesian central bank governor, Yousif said.

Al Baraka Islamic Bank-Bahrain is interested in purchasing Islamic bonds expected to be issued by the Kuwaiti government before the end of the year, CEO Mohamed Isa Al Mutaweh said. Kuwait's finance ministry said in September that it intends to issue bonds and sukuk before the end of 2015 to finance its public deficit, which is estimated to reach KWD 8 billion (USD 26.3 billion). The CEO said the bank, owned by Al Baraka Group, hopes to achieve growth in assets in line with the expected growth of the global Islamic banking at an annual average of 15-20%. Real estate financing accounts for around 40% of Al Baraka Islamic's portfolio in Bahrain and Al Mutaweh said the housing sector was expected to see strong activity due to rising demand.

Capital Intelligence (CI) said that following the recent downgrade in the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Sovereign Ratings in September 2015, it has lowered Bahrain-based Al Baraka Islamic Bank’s (AIB) Long and Short-Term Foreign Currency Ratings to ‘BB’ and ‘B’, respectively (from ‘BB+’/‘A3’/‘Stable’). Accordingly, the Outlook for these ratings is revised to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative’. The Support Level of ‘2’ is maintained on the grounds of the high likelihood of support from the parent ‘Al Baraka Banking Group’ (ABG), also in Bahrain.

Capital Intelligence (CI) announced today that it has affirmed Bahrain-based Al Baraka Islamic Bank’s (AIB) Financial Strength Rating (FSR) at ‘BB’, on ‘Stable’ Outlook, supported by its strong ownership, comfortable liquidity premised on customer deposit funding, and the improvement in the capital adequacy ratio (CAR). The FSR remains constrained by sovereign risk exposure in Pakistan (through ‘AlBaraka Bank Pakistan’), where economic conditions remain difficult despite some improvement, and a relatively high non-performing financings (NPFs) ratio and low loss-reserve cover. Also constraining the FSR is the Bank’s ongoing very weak profitability at both the operating and net levels. AIB’s Long and Short-Term Foreign Currency Ratings are maintained at ‘BB+’ and ‘A3’, respectively.

Al Baraka Islamic Bank is raising $200 million through trust certificates in a Sukuk Al Wakala issue which will mature in 2015. The 18-month sukuk is aimed at raising cash to help increase the bank's exposure to Sharia-compliant trade finance. The issue is being promoted through a private placement with participants able to invest a minimum of $100,000. The purchase price for the certificates is 100 per cent of their face amount, plus an amount equal to 2pc of the face amount of the certificates for an agency. The certificates will not be listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchanges or markets. The bank expects a profit return on the certificates of 6pc over the 18- month period.

Al Baraka Islamic Bank announced the introduction of new Islamic financial products. Furthermore, it will open several new branches in Pakistan with the purpose to facilitate the consumers of Islamic products. According to Adnan Ahmad Yousaf - president and CEO of Al Baraka Islamic Bank - Islamic banking is a modern alternative way of banking today and continuously attracts funds. Its aim is to generate economic activity and to spread money throughout society.

According to an announcement by Al Baraka Islamic Bank, Abdul Rahman Abdullah Mohammed has joined the bank's board. This was made possible by Central Bank of Bahrain's approval. Abdul Rahman Abdullah Mohammed is an expert in banking business with over 36 years experience in numerous institutions including NBB banking group where he was general manager until recently.

More on: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=338525

Al Baraka Banking Group will launch Itqan Capital in Saudi Arabia, through its fully-owned subsidiary Al Baraka Islamic Bank.
Mr. Khaled Al Zayani, chairman of Al Baraka Islamic Bank, stated that the firm's future center of attraction will be on four areas: asset management, principal investment, investment banking, and custodial services - all supported by centralized advisory, research and business development capabilities.