Osborne to Launch Sharia Compliant Bond

Chancellor George Osborne will announce today that the UK is to become the first non-Muslim country to sell a Sharia compliant bond

Emma Wall 29 October, 2013 | 10:41AM
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Britain is to become the first non-Muslim country to issue a Sharia-compliant bond, in a bid to capture some of the $1 trillion sharia-compliant finance market. 

The Treasury hopes to raise £200 million from the bond, due to be announced at the ninth World Islamic Forum today.

Instead of paying savers an interest rate, which is banned by Sharia law, the 'sukuk' bond will invest depositors' cash in Sharia compliant companies. The profit from these investments is then shared amongst the members.

Under Sharia law, financial institutions must not invest depositors in certain sin sectors, such as arms, alcohol and pornography - similar to ethical investing. 

As the bond will be issued by the Treasury, it is reported that the underlying holdings will be government properties that generate a rental income.

Osborne will also give further details of the joint venture between FTSE Group and the Singapore Exchange (SGX), which plans to launch a series of Sharia compliant indices in response to increasing trends towards Islamic investment.

A report on the London Stock Exchange website reveals that the FTSE SGX Asia Shariah 100 Index will be the first index of the series.

“It is designed to represent the performance of Sharia-compliant companies from the following Asia-Pacific markets: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong,” it reads.

Britain already hosts Sharia-compliant banks which offer cash savings bonds and bank accounts, as well as insurance products. 

"Bank of London and the Middle East (BLME) and Islamic Bank of Britain are key providers and United Bank (UBL) offers a couple of Sharia products," said Anna Bowes of SavingsChampion.co.uk.

"Many of these products are competitive – but they offer a projected return based on profit rather than a guaranteed rate of interest." 

Sharia banking is open to all faiths.

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Emma Wall  is former Senior International Editor for Morningstar

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