CAPITAL MARKETS - Investors Turn Focus Toward Malaysia, Indonesia in Search of Higher Yields

Investors in Malaysia and Indonesia say they favor sovereign sukuk over a planned dollar issue by the Islamic Development Bank after government securities returned almost twice as much as the multilateral lender’s this year.

IDB’s 1.775 percent Shariah-compliant debt due October 2015 gained 1.1 percent. Indonesia’s 8.8 percent US currency sukuk maturing April 2014 returned 1.6 percent, while Malaysia’s 3.928 percent June 2015 note climbed 3.1 percent, prices from Royal Bank of Scotland Group show.  (full story)

CAPITAL MARKETS - Government’s First Infrastructure-Backed Sukuk Offer Welcomed

Indonesia’s first sale of local-currency sukuk backed by roads and railways may benefit from the rupiah’s 4.7 percent gain against the US dollar this year and higher sovereign debt yields relative to Malaysia.

“I’d buy the sovereign sukuk as I believe the rupiah has more room to strengthen,” Mohd Noor Hj A Rahman, chief executive at OSK-UOB Islamic Fund Management, said on Thursday. “Yields are more attractive if you compare to what other markets are offering. You can’t get such high yields in Malaysia.”  (full story)