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Sharjah Issues Sukuk to Back Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Sharjah says banks will be able to use the Sukuk as security to access liquidity facilities at the UAE Central Bank
Sharjah says banks will be able to use the Sukuk as security to access liquidity facilities at the UAE Central Bank
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Sharjah Issues Sukuk to Back Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Sharjah says banks will be able to use the Sukuk as security to access liquidity facilities at the UAE Central Bank
Sharjah says banks will be able to use the Sukuk as security to access liquidity facilities at the UAE Central Bank

The Sharjah Finance Department, SFD, has recently established a framework worth AED4 billion to enhance liquidity for the emirate’s banking system as part of additional financial assistance to all businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Issued as 12-month dirham-denominated paper in several tranches, the Sharjah Liquidity Support Mechanism, SLSM, Sukuk represents the first rated short term local currency tradeable instrument in the UAE, which can be used for liquidity management by banks," SDF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"This paper has a short term investment grade rating of A-2 by Standard & Poor’s rating agency," Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted the SFD as saying.

"The authorities in Sharjah and across the region are taking the required measures to provide maximum assistance to all businesses dealing with the impact of the outbreak,” said Director-General of Sharjah Finance Department Waleed Al Sayegh.

“This service will allow banks to use the Sukuk as security to access liquidity facilities at the UAE Central Bank, by following the required guidelines."

He added that since the beginning of the crisis, the Sharjah government has introduced several packages and services to support companies and individuals.

A first tranche of the SLSM was subscribed to in May by Bank of Sharjah with an AED 2 billion participation. Subsequent tranches with one or more other banks are expected to expand the SLSM to AED 4 billion, the statement added.

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S&P Expects Saudi Issuances to Continue Domestically, Internationally Driven by Vision 2030

A view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
A view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
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S&P Expects Saudi Issuances to Continue Domestically, Internationally Driven by Vision 2030

A view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
A view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)

S&P Global Ratings anticipates that Saudi issuers will continue to tap local and international capital markets to finance projects under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The agency expects debt levels to remain manageable, with private sector debt-to-GDP ratios staying below 100% over the next 12 to 24 months.

According to S&P’s report, “Saudi Capital Market Overview: Rising Issuance Levels Are Just the Start”, Saudi companies have dominated issuance activity in recent years. Over the past five years, Saudi entities, including government-related entities, have accounted for roughly two-thirds of non-governmental US dollar-denominated issuances. However, the report predicted that banks will play an increasingly significant role in the future.

The report noted that Saudi issuers have raised over $130 billion in US dollar-denominated issuances over the last five years. This adds to $144 billion raised domestically in Saudi riyals during the same period, driven by Vision 2030 initiatives.

While the government accounts for about 60% of these issuances, the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 has created expansive opportunities in the non-oil economy and banking system, paving the way for future growth, the report underlined.

S&P highlighted the development of Saudi Arabia’s mortgage-backed securities market as a key factor to watch over the next two years. As of the end of September 2024, Saudi banks held more than $175 billion in mortgage financing, most of which carried fixed interest rates but were funded through short-term resources, primarily local deposits.

With declining interest rates, some of these mortgages could re-enter circulation, enabling banks to sell them in the secondary market without incurring losses. This would allow banks to offload mortgage financing from their balance sheets, provided legal challenges surrounding the mortgage-backed securities issuance are resolved or mitigated sufficiently to attract local and international investor interest.

According to the report, developing the mortgage-backed securities market could significantly enhance banks’ financial capacity, enabling them to better support the implementation of Vision 2030. This could occur through existing infrastructure, such as the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, or via direct issuances in the capital markets.