IslamicFinance.de

The Bahrain-based International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) launched a standard contract template for sharia compliant cross currency swaps on Thursday, as the industry body seeks to enhance use of hedging tools in the sector. As Islamic finance grows, institutions are increasingly taking larger positions, often in various currencies, prompting the need for widely-accepted mechanisms to manage such risks.
It is the seventh standard issued by the IIFM, a non-profit industry body which develops specifications for Islamic finance contracts. Applications of the standard are mainly for interbank treasury placements, but it can also be used alongside Islamic bonds (sukuk) as well as trade and corporate finance deals, chief executive Ijlal Ahmed Alvi told Reuters.

The International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) has released its IIFM Sukuk Report (3rd Edition) which consists of A Comprehensive Study of the Global Sukuk Market. The research report sheds light on the growth and development of international and domestic Sukuk issuances from 2001 - Jan 2013. According to Mr. Ijlal Ahmed Alvi, Chief Executive Officer of IIFM, the last two years were record years of Sukuk issuances. This year has also started on a positive note and the growth trend is expected to continue in coming years, he added. The report also highlights the different Sukuk structures used by international Sukuk issuers as well as Sukuk structures used at domestic level by various jurisdictions active in issuing Sukuk. Moreover, it contains selected Sukuk case studies in the international Sukuk market and the clarification on the meaning and types of Sukuk Al Istithmar (Investment Sukuk).