The Sukuk market is likely to receive a much-needed boost as Iran, home to the world’s biggest Islamic banking sector, with assets estimated at $482 billion, and the fourth largest crude oil reserves returns to the world capital markets. »

Jeremy Awori, MD Barclays Kenya stated Sharia compliant products should be seen in the context of the merits of their structure as opposed to being seen from a faith based perspective. He added risk management is easier when dealing with Sharia compliant structures due to core assets being used within the financing framework. »

Respected UK journalist Peter Osborne dug deep to discover use of a "World Check" Thomson Reuters database being used to blacklist UK Muslims. The World Check database is nothing more than a trawl of public information from sources such as Wikipedia and blogs. »

The inaugural Symposium of GIFDC is a 2-day event and will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. The theme of the symposium is Islamic Finance: A catalyst for Shared Prosperity. The concept of risk-sharing in financial and social contracts is one of the unique features of Islamic Finance while shared prosperity advocates for an economic and financial system that mobilize and allocate resources to the most ... »

Tatarstan and Sberbank have signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of Islamic financial services which envisages considering and making proposals for the development of the Sharia compliant financing in the republic. »

A busy week in the UK concludes with innovative Helicopter Financing deal and final delivery of Emirates A380 funded by UKEF Sukuk. Both deals mark World firsts within the sector for the UK and bolster it ambitions to become Western hub. »

In an amendment to Tax laws, the South African government is looking to its listed corporates to build off its sovereign Sukuk issuance last year with expanded inclusion of finance instruments based on Islamic principles within the tax regime. »

In an UK government innovation, this week saw delivery of the fourth and final Airbus A380 aircraft to be funded under the world’s first corporate sukuk to be guaranteed by a western government. The aircraft was delivered to Emirates this week at Hamburg Airport with the bond guaranteed by UKEF. »

Report presents the output of two-year collaboration between the Centre for Islamic Economics, IIUM and the Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) on a research project that covered three OIC member countries namely, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. »

Demand for funds by Malaysian infrastructure companies is driving up sales of Islamic bonds. Ringgit-denominated sukuk issuances are set to hit their highest quarterly levels in more than a year. Bloomberg TV Malaysia's Sophie Kamaruddin and Han Tan discuss the factors driving the recent rise. »