Update on Sukuk Financing

Posted by Yasemin Hurcan

In a speech in the World Islamic Economic Forum on October 29, 2013, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the UK would like to become the first country outside of the Islamic world to issue an Islamic bond. He stated that the Treasury was working on the practicalities of issuing a bond-like sukuk instrument worth around £200 million, which it is hoped to launch as early as next year.

In addition, the London Stock Exchange is creating a new way of identifying Islamic finance opportunities by launching a world-leading Islamic Market Index. As was discussed in the blog posted on May 30, 2013, this development suggests that the use of sukuk instruments for sovereign borrowing is likely to increase in coming years. It supports the case for developing international norms on the accounting and reporting of sukuk-related transactions in PFM.

Further details are provided in the links below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/world-islamic-economic-forum-prime-ministers-speech

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-to-unveil-plans-for-new-islamic-index-on-london-stock-exchange

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