Islamic Finance and Economics

Islamic Finance Leaders Convene in Washington

November 11, 2015

Private sector leaders and government officials from key Islamic capital market countries convened for two days of lobbying and business relations in Washington, promoting the competitive price advantages and high returns of sharia-compliant/compatible finance.
Islamic Finance Experts Urge New Regulatory Body to Reduce Risks

October 29, 2015

The hyper-growth of the Islamic finance industry to nearly $2 trillion in assets globally is creating serious structural risks associated with market fragmentation, excessive leverage, and deposit instability, promoting economic experts to urge the fast-track creation of an international regularly and standards agency for sharia-compliant/compatible finance.
Experts Anticipate Slowdown in Islamic Finance Industry

October 27, 2015

Financial industry analysts predict a marked slowdown over the medium-term in the double-digit growth rates that characterized Islamic finance over the past decade, due to the effects of declining oil and commodities prices in Muslim majority markets and the absence of globalized regulatory structures that could minimize the high risks of sharia-compatible finance.
Islamic Finance Groups Aim to Expand into Mediterranean Region

October 21, 2015

The 3rd Mediterranean Islamic Finance Forum will meet in November in Barcelona, Spain, to explore expansion of capital flows for sharia-compliant/compatible financing of infrastructure and development projects by small and medium enterprises, which is part of a larger effort by the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (a global association affiliated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) to expand the platform of Islamic finance from its Mideast hub across the Mediterranean region.
Indonesia Moves Aggressively to Grow Islamic Finance in Southeast Asia's Largest Economy

October 14, 2015

Indonesia's Financial Services Authority ("FSO") announced the government's five-year plan to aggressively grow the sharia compliant/compatible financial services in what is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country and Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Growth of Islamic Economy Outpaces Global Economic Indicators

October 05, 2015

Annualized growth rates of the "Islamic economy," seven global economic sectors functioning according to sharia law, are nearly double those of the world economy.
Sharia Influence in Global Economy Could Tip with China's Turn to Islamic Finance

September 23, 2015

China's anticipated hard push into Islamic finance, part of a strategic move to rebuild the country's Silk Road trade links with Asia and Europe, will markedly expand the influence of sharia laws, norms, and actors, in the world financial system.
Germany Pushes G20 to Boost Use of Islamic Finance

September 09, 2015

Germany's Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble told leaders from the world's 20 largest economies ("G20") that the G20 should promote the integration of Islamic finance, which operates according to sharia law principles, in global financing for massive infrastructure projects.
IMF Warns UAE of Regulatory Risks in Islamic Finance Industry

August 10, 2015

The International Monetary Fund's ("IMF") latest annual report on the United Arab Emirates ("UAE") warned that the growth of its Islamic finance industry will depend on robust improvements in currently-weak regulatory frameworks and governance structures for sharia-compliant products and financial dispute-resolution.
OIC Continues Push to Mainstream Islamic Finance

August 03, 2015

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ("OIC"), the global, multilateral organization whose charter identifies it as the protector of the world's Muslims, continues to use its various institutional platforms to push for the financial mainstreaming of the "moral economy" and "sustainable-growth-and-development" advantages of sharia economics and finance.