Dubai Islamic Bank eyes sukuk issue

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has mandated five banks for an Islamic bond, or sukuk, due to be issued at the end of May, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The lender has picked HSBC, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Emirates NBD, Deutsche Bank and itself for the deal, the sources said, requesting anonymity. One of the sources added the sukuk was likely to be a benchmark-sized, five-year issue. Benchmark usually means at least US$500m. Two of the sources said the sukuk was expected to launch at the end of May. Strong regional interest and significant global Islamic liquidity are likely to support any potential issue from the bank. DIB was not immediately available for comment. The lender last tapped debt markets in 2007 with a US$750m sukuk arranged by Barclays, Citi and Standard Chartered. The bond was repaid earlier this year. Its Islamic mortgage unit Tamweel priced a US$300m sukuk in January which is fully guaranteed by DIB. Regional banks have made a flurry of issues this year, with Banque Saudi Fransi currently on the road meetings investors ahead of a potential sukuk issue. Abu Dhabi's First Gulf Bank and Dubai's Emirates Islamic Bank have also issued sukuk this year. "We expect more (regional) banks to come to market this year, because of European banks deleveraging. A lot of these regional banks need to get term money, which they can through the bond markets," said an analyst, requesting anonymity. Shares in DIB are up about 2.5 percent this year, after ending 11 percent lower in 2011.