The global sukuk market is big business. According to Standard & Poor’s, global sukuk sales totaled $23.3 billion last year, up from $14.9 billion in 2008 but off the record $34.3 billion logged in 2007, and Moody’s Investors Services expects deals in 2010 to surpass 2009 figures. With its low risks compared to the equity and real estate markets, the sukuk market is beginning to emerge as an attractive diversification tool for investors.

However, an assessment by Standard & Poor’s reports that prospects for Dubai-based issuers and other countries in the Gulf appeared weaker compared to Asia, especially Southeast Asia which is likely to lead the global sukuk issuance market in the next couple of years as developing countries in this region move towards developing the sukuk market.

The Indonesian government has announced in April that it will issue retail sukuk in the 4th quarter of 2010, following the success of the 1st retail sukuk in February and the elimination of double taxation on Shari’ah products.

The potential for growth in sukuk in Indonesia and beyond is immense.

The Sukuk Asia Forum held in Jakarta on 21st-22nd September 2010, will bring together experts in Islamic Finance to share their expertise in developing the sukuk market in Asia, discuss growth trends, regulatory discrepancies, cross border issues and strategies to develop their sukuk market.

Key themes for Sukuk Asia Forum 2010:

• Innovative sukuk product development
• Shari’ah risk management, legal documentation and dispute resolution
• The possible role of arbitration in resolving sukuk defaults
• Human capital initiatives to groom the next generation of Islamic finance experts
• The globalization of Islamic finance