14 July 2018 - Astana International Financial Centre aspires to become a new global financial hub, and Islamic finance is expected to be a key part of that goal. »

 Securitization of Sharia-compliant home purchase plans On 22 February, UK-based Al Rayan Bank PLC (ARB, Aa3 negative, baa21) issued the UK’s first asset-backed Sukuk through a special-purpose vehicle, Tolkien Funding Sukuk No. 1. The issuance, a £250 million securitization of Sharia-compliant home purchase plans (HPPs), widens the issuer base for Sukuk outside the core Islamic markets of Gulf Coo... »

Blacklist Could Curtail Free Flow of Islamic Financial Funds to UAE and Bahrain The global Islamic finance centre credentials of the UAE and Bahrain took a hit as EU finance ministers added them to a list of “blacklist” tax havens, which could mean they lose access to EU funds and face other sanctions. EU finance ministers have listed 17 countries for failing to meet agreed tax good governance sta... »