MALAYSIA - FINANCE - Malaysia revises Islamic equity standards

www.reuters.com - (Reuters) - Malaysia's securities commission is revising its guidelines for equities which qualify for Islamic investment, in a move that could increase the appeal of the country's sharia-compliant funds industry to Gulf investors.
Under the previous standards, investment was banned or restricted in companies that were involved in industries deemed to be unethical, such as gambling, alcohol and tobacco.
These restrictions are now being made more stringent, so that a lower level of exposure to those industries is unacceptable for Islamic investment, according to a statement by the securities commission on Monday.
The revised guidelines also include two new financial standards which filter out excessively cash-rich and debt-ridden companies, in order to limit exposure to interest payments and pure monetary speculation, which are unacceptable in Islam. (source)

MALAYSIA - OPINION - Where are the angel investors?

“ANGEL investors don’t come with a halo and wings, but they can seem heaven-sent to an entrepreneur struggling to find financing.” — Cathie Gandel

Malaysia has raised the profile of Islamic finance, takaful and the halal industry, and, now, it must do the same to venture capital (VC). VC is an important emerging asset class that should contribute to the government’s objective of building a knowledge- based economy by 2020. There were several important takeaways from the recently concluded International Venture Capital Symposium 2011. One of the most important sparks to establish a VC infrastructure in debt-based and biased Muslim countries is the role of “angel investors”.  (source)

WORLD - OPINION - Islamic venture capital: Key to knowledge-based economy

FAILURE is a mark of success in venture capital.
Today, Islamic venture capital is a feel good theory presented at conferences about the lofty goals of this niche market with the focus on the formalism of structuring and screening. Its impact investing, yet we see it as a cost (at best) and a write-off (at worst). (source)

FINANCE - KFH plans $300 mln fund, seeks Indonesian assets

By Liau Y-Sing, Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR - Islamic fund manager KFH Asset Management will launch a $300 million fund to invest in consumer, healthcare and education businesses by end 20120, its private equity head said on Monday.

KFH Asset Management, a subsidiary of the Malaysian unit of Kuwait Finance House , would raise money from Gulf investors for the fund which would also invest in waste management and light manufacturing companies, Lew Oon Yew said.

FINANCE - Islamic Private Equity Firms Encouraged to Revisit their Business Model

Manama 03 October 2010: Islamic private equity firms face a reality check post the financial crises, said Ashar Nazim, Director and Head of Islamic Financial Services at Ernst and Young, speaking today at the Islamic Financial Services Board summit, titled Business Models in Islamic Finance - Challenges and Opportunities in Bahrain.

CONFERENCES - Malaysia Must Be In The Position To Offer A Strong Range Of Investable Asset Classes

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, as an international Islamic financial centre, must be in the position to offer a strong range of investable asset classes for the global investment market.

EVENTS - Islamic Venture Capital Conference To Update Investors On Market Trends

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- The two-day Third Islamic Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference beginning Tuesday would act as a platform for venture capitalists and private equity investors to keep them updated with global market trends and Islamic alternative investments in the region.

SUKUK - PRIVATE EQUITY - Dubai Private Equity Invests in Europe With First Sukuk: Islamic Finance

Millennium Private Equity Ltd., a Dubai government-linked investment company with about $5 billion in capital, plans to use Islamic financing for venture capital in Europe after buying the first corporate sukuk in the U.K.

Millennium, part-owned by Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ largest Shariah-compliant bank, bought $10 million of four-year convertible notes in July that were sold by International Innovative Technologies Ltd., a clean energy company in Gateshead.

CONFERENCE - 28-29 Sept 2010 - Kuala Lumpur - 3rd Islamic Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference

3rd Islamic Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference 

Sept 28-29, 2010 -  Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia



under construction - please come back later today

OPINION - SUKUK - UK firm to launch first European corporate sukuk (earlier post)

original post :  http://islamicfinanceindonesia.blogspot.com/2010/08/uk-firm-to-launch-first-european.html

My mind has been pondering a bit on this news item.

Trad-able Sukuk with 4 years maturity (regular) with a prospect return of 10 % per annum (acceptable) for a UK SME (rather strange, but exciting news for the Indonesian SME), for 10 million USD (interesting small amount for a Sukuk - again interesting for the Indonesian SME).

And then : because of the size, probably no rating - so difficult to place - though a secured structure (as Sukuk Ijara) would probably be helpful.