MAYBANK ASSET MANAGEMENT UNVEILS DEBUT US DOLLAR DENOMINATED-SUKUK FUND

MAYBANK ASSET MANAGEMENT UNVEILS DEBUT US DOLLAR DENOMINATED-SUKUK FUND

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 October 2014 - Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd ("Maybank AM"), today launched Maybank Global Sukuk Fund (the "Fund"), their maiden global sukuk product denominated in US Dollar. This move is aligned to Maybank AM's strategic efforts to provide Islamic investment solutions to meet the growing needs of Malaysian investors seeking Shariah-compliant fixed income funds.

The global sukuk market is expected to be one of the fastest growing segments of the Islamic finance industry. New global sukuk issuance amounting to USD 31.10 billion in 1Q14 has surpassed all average quarterly volumes since 1Q12. In addition, the primary sukuk market is expected to surpass the USD 100.00 billion in new issuances volume by the end of this year*.

The Maybank Global Sukuk Fund, available only in Malaysia for the time being, is suited to investors with moderate risk appetite seeking regular income through a portfolio of sukuk and Islamic liquid instruments with a medium to long term investment horizon. The Fund is an open-ended fund and has an Initial Offer Period of (IOP) of 21 days from which will end on 17 November 2014. The Fund is expected to complement and diversify investors' existing investment exposures in ringgit denominated sukuk funds and / or equity funds. Furthermore, the Fund provides access to the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) economies, which have strong credit profiles as reflected by their credit ratings. With a minimum investment amount of USD 1,000.00, the Fund is also suitable for non-Muslim investors who are in favour of Islamic principles of risk sharing and those who favours ethical investments.

Malaysia, which pioneered Islamic finance 30 years ago, has the world's biggest sukuk market share. The Ringgit denominated sukuk is the fastest growing segment which accounts for more than two thirds of the total global issuance*. This is largely attributed to the country's Economic Transformation Programme ("ETP"), an on-going initiative with the primary objective of elevating her status to a high income nation by 2020, thrusting its Gross National Income ("GNI") per capita to USD 15,000.00 and to attract investments worth USD 444.00 billion running up to year 2020. This is in parallel with Central Bank of Malaysia's financial sector blueprint for 2011 to 2020 to further develop the country to become the hub for global Islamic finance.

Nor' Azamin Salleh, Chief Executive Officer of Maybank Asset Management Group Berhad said, "Increased demands and a burgeoning supply of global sukuk funds are clear indications that global investors today understand Islamic instruments better and are seeking alternatives to other conservative options. With Malaysia in the limelight as an exemplary model to other jurisdictions, the launch of the Fund is timely for us to ride on the wave of the growing momentum of increasing Islamic instruments acceptance. Despite offering the Fund to Malaysia for now, we are in talks with our overseas counterparts to distribute the Fund in other markets".

The Maybank Global Sukuk Fund is made available through Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd based in Kuala Lumpur. For enquiries, please contact +603 2297 7888 or visit www.maybank-am.com



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