IslamicFinance.de

While rating agency has mixed views on the performance of the sukuk market this year, Maybank Islamic Bank Bhd says it remains mindful of the challenging economic backdrop. Its chief executive officer Muzaffar Hashim said the Islamic bond issuance activity, which saw its peak in 2012, is closely tracking the volatile external developments such as Greece debt default risk and US interest rates hike. RAM Rating said new global sukuk issuance is expected to be strong this year at around US$100 billion (RM371 billion) to US$120 billion (RM445 billion) while Standard & Poor’s warns of a slowdown in emerging markets as reduced confidence and low oil prices hit investor demand.