GFH Financial Group completed the issuance of its $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) sukuk programme. Courtesy Nasdaq Dubai
GFH Financial Group completed the issuance of its $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) sukuk programme. Courtesy Nasdaq Dubai
GFH Financial Group completed the issuance of its $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) sukuk programme. Courtesy Nasdaq Dubai
GFH Financial Group completed the issuance of its $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) sukuk programme. Courtesy Nasdaq Dubai

Bahrain's GFH Financial Group completes $500m sukuk issuance


Sarmad Khan
  • English
  • Arabic

Bahrain's GFH Financial Group completed the issuance of its $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) sukuk programme after selling the remaining amount of $200m.

The investment bank did not provide the details of the transaction in a filing to the Dubai Financial Market, where its shares trade.

“The proceeds from the sukuk issuance will be used to further strengthen GFH’s balance sheet and diversify its income,” it said on Tuesday.

The deal comes after a $300m Islamic bond that the company sold in January this year.

The five-year sukuk was two and a half times oversubscribed, with the order book exceeding $750m.

There was strong participation from international investors who received 48 per cent of the allocation, with the remaining 52 per cent going to regional investors, the company said at the time.

The deal in January was GFH’s first debt capital markets transaction since 2008.

Shuaa Capital, along with other parties, priced and issued the sukuk.

In February, GFH acquired a 70 per cent stake in FinTech company Marshal – its second major investment in a technology business – through its investment banking arm, GFH Capital.

The lender's  first major technology investment was its acquisition of an 85 per cent stake in discount voucher app The Entertainer in 2018.

It has since invested extensively in expanding its real estate portfolio.

The bank purchased a US hospitality portfolio in partnership with investment firm Arbor Lodging Partners for $250m in February.

Earlier this year, GFH reported a 38.7 per cent decline in its 2019 fourth-quarter net profit to $6.5m.

Higher provisions for credit losses from the group’s commercial banking subsidiary affected quarterly financial results, it said, without providing the provision figures.

The bank’s full-year profit for 2019 also fell by 29.8 per cent to $80.1m.

GFH’s revenue, however, climbed to $335.7m from $286.2m reported at the end of 2018, it said at the time.

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Key facilities
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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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U19 World Cup in South Africa

Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka

Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies

Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE

UAE fixtures

Saturday, January 18, v Canada

Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan

Saturday, January 25, v South Africa

UAE squad

Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon

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MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

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The five types of long-term residential visas

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Entrepreneurs:

A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.  

Specialists

Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.

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A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university. 

Retirees:

Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.

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Day 1

Toss: India, chose to bat

India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)

Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40

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Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

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Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

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Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports

Results

5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m

Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m

Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.

6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m

Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

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Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.

7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m

Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.

8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m

Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.

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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

BRIEF SCORES:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0