Listed products seem to meet many of the criteria for improved transparency and liquidity demanded by investors in the wake of the financial crisis, writes Michael Marray.
Latest articles from Banking strategies
Changes set to test banks' adaptability
November 24, 2010US, EU and UK authorities are all tightening regulations for the design and distribution of retail structured products. Banks are reacting quickly, but the international pattern of changes is not always coherent. Michael Marray reports.
Barclays lays a marker in Africa
November 24, 2010Barclays is not in Africa to make a quick buck, but to develop a long-standing relationship with a continent it has not lavished with quite the attention that it deserves, according to Barclays Retail CEO Antony Jenkins.
Top 500 Islamic Financial Institutions
November 24, 2010The sharp fall in Gulf property markets has dampened confidence in a market that many expected to be relatively immune to the global financial crisis. But sharia-compliant assets are still growing, and perhaps tougher times will encourage a more sophisticated industry.
Opportunities in a sea of caution
November 24, 2010Better product segmentation and a focus on deeply underbanked markets in the Muslim world is the best way for Islamic banks to continue to expand in the context of a slower global economy.
The future of sharia banking
November 24, 2010The aftermath of the crisis has seen the reputation of conservative sharia banking soar. Four experts in the sector look at how this falling into favour is likely to affect sharia finance's short-term and long-term prospects.
Malaysia shows the way forward
November 24, 2010HSBC Amanah's chief executive officer talks to Stephen Timewell about the developments of Islamic finance in Asia and how Malaysia is shaping up to be a key market for HSBC Amanah, and Islamic finance in general.
Strong growth set to continue
November 24, 2010The deputy CEO of HSBC Amanah, Razi Fakih talks to Stephen Timewell about how the bank is balancing its focus between key traditional Islamic finance countries and products, and expanding into less well established areas.
A tale of two centres
November 24, 2010From Hong Kong to London, established global financial centres are looking to reinvent themselves as Islamic finance hubs and capture a slice of a fast-growing and still largely untapped market.
Islamic investment banks face new risks
November 24, 2010In 2008, as conventional investment banks faced huge losses, Islamic investment banks were heralded as the last bastion of conservative, lower-risk investment, insulated by prudent management.