GLOBAL ISLAMIC FINANCE UP 12% TO $2 TRILLION

London, 21 Muharram 1437/3 November 2015 (MINA) – The global market for Islamic finance has soared by 12 percent over the last 12 months to $2 trillion (£1.3trillion), according to a report by The City UK, which is a private-sector association and industry lobby group promoting the financial and professional services industry of the United Kingdom.

The alternative finance industry, which eschews traditional interest on loans, is predicted to hit $3 trillion by 2018, This is down to growing demand in emerging markets, City A.M. online business news reported.

Chris Cummings, chief executive of The CityUK, said, “Shariah compliant assets make up only 1 percent of the world’s financial assets today, yet 1 in 5 people globally are Muslim.” International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Between 2009 and 2013 the niche market, making up around 1 percent of global financial assets, is estimated to have grown at an annual rate of 17.6 percent accountancy giant Ernst and Young (EY) found.

TheCityUK report found that assets of UK financial institutions offering Islamic financial services totaled $4.5 billion at the end of 2014.

There are 20 banks in the UK that offer Islamic financial services, nearly double that of the US, and there are now over 100,000 Islamic finance retail customers in the UK.

“As the leading Western centre for Islamic finance, the UK has been at the forefront of key developments for the industry in Europe and is well positioned to capture a growing share of Islamic finance business in the coming years,” Cummings added.

The 11th annual World Islamic Economic Forum gets underway today in Kuala Lumpur. (T/Imt/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)