UAE Business: Sukuk issuance from core markets down 17.2% in Q2 – Gulf Digital News

UAE Business: Sukuk issuance from core markets down 17.2% in Q2 – Gulf Digital News

Total US dollar-denominated sukuk issuance from the core markets of the GCC, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan fell by 17.2% quarter-on-quarter (qoq) in Q2, whilst US dollar bond issuance fell by 63.8%, said Fitch Ratings.

More than 90% of Fitch-rated sukuk that returned to the market in Q2 of 2022 (2Q22) were investment-grade.

“It remains unclear if sukuk supply will be able to recover in 2H22 because of higher oil prices reducing oil-exporting sovereigns’ new funding needs, funding diversification plans not being followed, complexities related to sharia compliance, political risks, interest-rate hikes and lower global investor appetite for emerging-market debt,” said Bashar Al-Natoor, Global Head of Islamic Finance at Fitch.

“However, intact Islamic investor appetite, upcoming debt maturities, Islamic-finance development plans from a number of governments, and funding diversification strategies across the sector will support the market longer-term.’’.

Issuance of US dollar-denominated sukuk has been less affected than bonds amid the volatilities in 1H22. Fitch analysed the pricing of 42 comparable sukuk and bonds issued by the same obligors from the GCC, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey. Their yield-to-maturity continued to be strongly correlated in 2Q22 despite macro volatilities, as was the pricing of comparable sukuk and bonds.

In 2Q22, 77.8% of sukuk ratings were investment-grade.