FINANCE

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KembaraXtra-Islamic Finance-Islamic Capital Market- Capital Market (ICM)
– The Islamic capital market is a financial market for Shari’ah-compliant financial assets.
– It facilitates the issuance, trading, and investment of Islamic debt and equity instruments.
– The ICM mobilises long-term funds for economic development while adhering to Islamic principles.
– It enables financing for large-scale projects such as factories, highways, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure.
– The main borrowers in the ICM are businesses and governments that issue long-term instruments representing claims on future revenues.

• Overall Structure of the Islamic Capital Market
– The ICM is broadly divided into two main market segments:
– Equity Market
– Sukuk Market
– These segments operate within a framework supported by intermediaries and complementary instruments.


• Equity Market
– The Islamic equity market deals with Shari’ah-compliant shares and quasi-equity instruments.
– Shares represent ownership in companies that comply with Islamic business and financial screening criteria.
– Investors earn returns through dividends and capital gains, subject to Shari’ah rules.
– Equity financing supports long-term capital formation and corporate expansion.


• Islamic Stockbroking
– Islamic stockbroking acts as an intermediary between investors and the equity market.
– It facilitates the buying and selling of Shari’ah-compliant shares.
– Stockbrokers ensure that transactions are free from riba (interest), gharar (excessive uncertainty), and maisir (gambling).
– Islamic stockbroking provides market access and ensures ethical trading practices.
– It also connects with Shari’ah-compliant derivatives for risk management purposes.


• Sukuk Market
– The Sukuk market represents the debt segment of the Islamic capital market.
– Sukuk are Shari’ah-compliant alternatives to conventional bonds.
– They represent ownership in underlying assets, usufructs, or projects, rather than interest-based debt.
– Returns to investors are generated from asset performance, rental income, or profit-sharing.
– Sukuk are issued by governments, corporations, and multilateral institutions to raise long-term funds.



• Islamic Structured Products
– Islamic structured products are customised financial instruments developed using multiple Shari’ah-compliant contracts.
– They are closely linked to the Sukuk market.
– These products are designed to meet specific investment or financing objectives.
– They allow flexibility in risk-return profiles while maintaining Shari’ah compliance.
– Islamic structured products enhance financial innovation within the ICM.


• Shari’ah-Compliant Derivatives
– Shari’ah-compliant derivatives are used for hedging and risk management, not speculation.
– They operate in accordance with Islamic legal and ethical principles.
– These derivatives interact with:
– Islamic stockbroking (for equity-related risk management)
– Islamic structured products (for Sukuk-related risk management)
– Their purpose is to reduce exposure to market risks while avoiding prohibited elements.


• Products in the Islamic Capital Market
– The main products traded within the ICM include:


  1. Islamic Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) – diversified Shari’ah-compliant funds traded on exchanges.
  2. Shares and Quasi-Equity Instruments – ownership-based instruments in compliant companies.
  3. Sukuk (Islamic Bonds) – asset-backed or asset-based long-term financing instruments.
  4. Islamic Commercial Paper – short-term Shari’ah-compliant instruments for working capital needs.


• Role and Importance of the ICM
– The ICM functions as a component of the overall Islamic financial system.
– It operates parallel to the conventional capital market while remaining Shari’ah-compliant.
– It complements Islamic banking by expanding investment and financing options.
– The ICM supports ethical, risk-sharing, and asset-backed financing.
– It contributes to sustainable economic growth and global development of Islamic finance.


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