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Kuwait: Kuwait Finance House (KFH) held a seminar on "Practical Applications of Sukuk in the Financial Markets" for the students of the American University of Kuwait (AUK). This comes as part of KFH's social responsibility and efforts to enrich the educational experience of the students and spread the awareness of Islamic finance, whilst highlighting the bank's pioneering role in the global economy.
Presenting the seminar, Senior Manager Capital Market at KFH, Mohammad Al-Duwailah spoke about the importance of sukuk and the practical applications of this instrument in the global markets. He illustrated the types and structures of sukuk from an investment perspective, in addition to the similarities and differences between sukuk and bonds. He also explained the primary and secondary sukuk.
Moreover, Al-Duwailah noted during the seminar that witnessed the attendance of large number of students that the size of the Islamic economy reached USD 2.1 trillion at end of 2014, approximately 80% of the Islamic economy is concentrated in Islamic banking. He added that sukuk as an instrument represents around 15% of the total size of the Islamic economy, with a total issuance exceeding USD 300 bln at the end of 2014. Sukuk issuance grew by an average 16% between the years 2009-2014.
He explained the reasons for growth in the sukuk markets as sukuk are an alternative to the conventional fixed income securities, and most Islamic countries are considered as emerging economies and have significant economic growth, which has a positive impact on the sukuk as an instrument. Also, the widespread knowledge about the Islamic economy and the use of its tools in the world contributed in boosting the sukuk. Further, many conventional organizations and governments are turning towards sukuk in order to open new doors for financing reasons.
Al-Duwailah explained that KFH is among the largest global Islamic financial institutions, indicating that KFH volume traded in the sukuk market outpaced USD 4.4 Billion for the year 2015.
Kuwait Finance House (KFH)
KFH was established in Kuwait in 1977 and is enlisted in the Kuwait Stock Exchange. KFH Group is a global pioneer in the field of Islamic banking services, where it offers a wide array of Islamic products and services, not to mention a high standard of innovation and client service.
KFH manages its operations in the GCC, Asia, and Europe through over 446 branches, including KFH-Turkey, in order to offer services for the bank's clients in Turkey, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Germany, Jordan, and Dubai.
KFH's mission is to achieve highest levels of excellence and innovation in the field of client service, while developing common interest for all those concerned with the financial institution. KFH's vision is to spearhead the global development in Islamic financial services, and to upgrade the bank into the level of becoming the most sustainable profitable Islamic bank in the world.
KFH's values include cementing leadership through all its businesses, including leadership in the Islamic banking services worldwide, through innovation and in client service and the development of its employees. In addition, KFH is committed to all its procedures, and to setting up long-life partnerships with the concerned authorities.
For more information, please visit: www.kfh.com
© Press Release 2016
