TAKAFUL - MS AD to buy 50 pct in Indonesia's Sinar Mas life insurance unit - Plans for Takaful in Indonesia

TOKYO, May 2 (Reuters) - Japan's largest property and casualty insurer, MS&AD , said on Monday it has agreed to buy a 50 pct stake in the life insurance unit of Indonesian conglomerate Sinar Mas for about 67 billion yen ($825 million). 

Japanese insurers have been stepping up their overseas expansion and focusing on emerging economies in Asia as they expect growth at home to remain weak given the country's ageing population.(full story)

BANKING - Hong Leong to expand banking ops to China and Vietnam (and Indonesia)

KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (HLFG) plans to expand its banking operations to another emerging market after venturing into China and Vietnam, said president and chief executive officer Raymond Choong.

BANKING - Hong Leong - Malaysian Islamic Bank Looking Abroad for Acquisitions

Hong Leong Bank Bhd is eyeing acquisitions abroad which are well-priced and would make a good franchise that complements its overall strategy.

“It’s hard to pinpoint which countries to invest in but certain countries are more compelling. However, Indonesia and Thailand are compelling,” group managing director and chief executive officer Yvonne Chia told reporters at its financial results briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.  “We do have opportunities knocking on our door,” she said.

SUKUK - Sukuk Four-Year Low Yields Fail to Deter Funds: Islamic Finance

Aug. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Islamic bond yields at four-year lows are failing to deter investors amid a flagging global recovery and dwindling new issuance of sukuk.

The average yield on dollar-denominated notes that comply with religious principles from Dubai to Malaysia fell 25 basis points, or 0.25 percentage point, so far this week to 5.22 percent, the lowest level since November 2005, according to the HSBC/NASDAQ Dubai US Dollar Sukuk Index. The yield has dropped 204 basis points this year.