INDONESIA - BANKING - Indonesia lures Mideast Shariah lenders

www.gulftimes.com - Indonesia’s Islamic finance industry is luring investment from Middle Eastern and European banks as regulator seeks to double Shariah-compliant assets to 10% of the total this decade.
Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi Arabia’s largest, is chasing investment banking business in Indonesia and may open branches “at the right time,” Mudassir Amray, the head of wholesale banking in Kuala Lumpur, said in a February 2 interview. Standard Chartered Saadiq will add more outlets, said Wasim Saifi, the Singapore-based global head of Islamic and consumer banking.  (source)

INDONESIA - CAPITAL MARKETS - Indonesian Debt Rating Outlook Brighter in Wake of Land Bill

Singapore. Legislation aimed at speeding up infrastructure projects will improve Indonesia’s chance of a debt-rating upgrade, says Moody’s Investors Service, as yields on the country’s Islamic bonds near a three-month low.

The yield on the sukuk due in 2014 fell the most in five quarters in the three months until Dec. 31, dropping 85 basis points to 2.96 percent. (source)

BRUNEI - CAPITAL MARKETS - Brunei sukuk issuances total $3.651 billion

THE Autoriti Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) has announced the successful pricing of $100 million worth of sukuk or Islamic bonds.

The latest issuance brings to over $3.651 billion the total sukuk issued by the Brunei Government since the Sukuk Al-Ijazah programme began in April 2006. AMBD is the managing and administering agent for Sukuk Al-Ijarah issuances. (source)