Islamic Finance
Saudi Arabia’s US$50bn First Step Towards Sustainable Energy
The Saudi royal family has been vocal about its plans to diversify the country’s economy for years. As internal energy demand rises sharply, the multibillion tender for a series of solar and wind projects marks one of the first concrete steps taken by the Kingdom towards sustainability.
24 Feb 2017
CASE STUDY: AFC Prices First Dollar Sukuk of 2017
The AFC’s upsized US$150mn was the first US dollar denominated sukuk issued by an African multilateral development bank and the first dollar denominated sukuk of 2017, helping the financial institution fund a number of infrastructure projects on the continent.
23 Feb 2017
CASE STUDY: Sultanate of Oman’s Landmark Deal Opens Oman to Islamic Finance
The Sultanate of Oman’s OMR250mn sukuk al-Ijara Trust Certificates due November 2020 helped the government set a critical funding benchmark and helped pave the way for a conventional dual-currency bond seven months later.
14 Feb 2017
CASE STUDY: Noor Bank Issues Debut Tier 1 Perpetual
Noor Bank’s debut perpetual Tier 1 perpetual sukuk issuance met with strong demand from global investors and achieved the lowest yield of any Tier 1 Basel III compliant perpetual sukuk in Dubai, despite a volatile market backdrop which saw oil prices dip below US$30 per barrel.
7 Feb 2017
CASE STUDY: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) Makes Strong Debut with Pre-Export Loan Facility
Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) US$4bn senior secured pre-export term loan facility was the company’s debut credit deal, upsized on the back of strong demand from global investors, and the first ever oil pre-payment financing by the Omani government.
6 Feb 2017
Green Bonds: The Next Wave in the Middle East
The rapid growth of green finance has sparked interest from many audiences. The use of bonds to finance green projects have become an exciting market development, with demand from investors consistently outstripping supply. Across the globe, borrowers and investors are keen to engage in sustainable financing opportunities and we have seen increasing activities in Asia, paving the way for the…
1 Feb 2017
CASE STUDY: Ezdan Holding Issues Debut US$500mn Sukuk in Quest to Diversify Funding
Ezdan’s debut US$500mn 5-year fixed rate trust certificates helped the company diversify its sources of funding, and created a broader platform from which Qatar’s leading real estate developer, owner and operator can grow its business in the future.
31 Jan 2017
Interview with Fahad al Khalifa, CEO, al khaliji
Despite 2016 being a challenging year for the Qatari economy and the GCC more broadly, there are reasons for optimism in 2017. The price of oil is stabilizing and looks set to increase modestly next year; new infrastructure development spurred on in part by FIFA World Cup 2022 will boost the construction and tourism sectors, as well as demand for residential and commercial real estate; and,…
30 Jan 2017
Investors Await Debt Sale as Kuwait Seeks to Plug US$30bn Budget Hole
Ever since announcing plans for a US$10bn sovereign bond program in July, Kuwait has been courting the international debt markets with promise of a seemingly imminent debt sale. With fiscal deficit widening amid oil price slump, the newly elected government is under pressure to cut spending – and may have to go through with the bond sale sooner rather than later.
13 Dec 2016
Turkish Participation Banks Grow as Sukuk Outlook Improves
Participation banks have scaled up their retail outfits rapidly over the past few years, consistently besting average growth rates in the Turkish banking sector, and analysts are optimistic about the health of the country’s Islamic capital markets.
18 Nov 2016