02 Mar, 2023Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic ring Nasdaq Dubai’s market-opening bell to celebrate ground-breaking Dirham bond and Sukuk listings

• The first of their kind issuances from financial institutions support the UAE Ministry of Finance’s efforts to develop the dirham bond and Sukuk markets, increasing funding and investment opportunities for both issuers and investors

• Emirates NBD Group bolsters its position as one of the largest debt issuers on Nasdaq Dubai with a total value in excess of AED 20 billion

Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD Group and Chairman of Emirates Islamic, today rang the market-opening bell at Nasdaq Dubai to celebrate the listings of a one-billion dirham bond from Emirates NBD and a one-billion dirham Sukuk from Emirates Islamic.

These first of their kind Dirham-denominated issuances by a financial institution reflect continued momentum in developing the local currency fixed income market spearheaded by the UAE’s Ministry of Finance’s T-Bond Program.

The three-year bond and Sukuk priced at 5.125% and 5.05% respectively and had a combined order book in excess of AED 4.25 billion, with strong demand from investors in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD Group and Chairman of Emirates Islamic said: “We are proud that Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic have taken a pioneering role in supporting the UAE’s dirham denominated bond and Sukuk market. Our inaugural local currency bond and Sukuk will play a key role in deepening market liquidity and pave the way for issuers to tap the local currency debt capital market at attractive pricing. Our dirham denominated bond and Sukuk, the first to be issued by a UAE bank, will also facilitate access to financing for local businesses. The Group remains committed to being at the forefront of innovation and an integral part of the Ministry of Finance’s drive to create a medium-term yield curve, which will enhance the dynamism of our capital markets and promote sustainable long-term economic growth.”

Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market (DFM), said: “We would like to congratulate Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic on becoming the first financial institutions to issue dirham-denominated bonds and Sukuk respectively, following the development of the dirham yield curve by the UAE Ministry of Finance. These pioneering transactions support the UAE's strategy in developing the local debt capital markets. At Nasdaq Dubai, we are proud to participate in realizing this objective through our progressive ecosystem that creates numerous capital markets’ opportunities for issuers and investors alike.”