Sustainable public debt has gained renewed attention as countries implement fiscal consolidation measures in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Sound public debt policies and debt management practices require robust legal underpinnings. Complex legal issues however arise in the design of the legal framework, and tradeoffs are required in many instances. This paper analyzes key features of modern public debt management legal frameworks, drawing from examples in advanced, emerging, and frontier markets. It aims to provide guidance for countries that seek to review and strengthen their public debt management legal frameworks.

The Singapore bond market has become one of the most developed open capital markets in Asia with over US$221 billion in total local currency bonds outstanding with an additional US$53 billion of bonds outstanding. The Singapore Bond Market Guide is an outcome of the support and contributions of ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum members and experts, particularly from Singapore, while the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide as a whole is a comprehensive explanation of the region’s bond markets. This report should be recognized as a collective good to support bond market development among ASEAN+3 members.

This paper assesses the impact of bonds issued according to Islamic principles (Sukuk), on the cost and risk structure of investment portfolios by using the Value-at-Risk (VaR) framework. The market for Sukuk has grown tremendously in recent years at about 45 percent a year. Sukuk provide sovereign governments and corporations with access to the huge and growing Islamic liquidity pool, in addition to the conventional investor base. The paper analyzes whether secondary market behavior of Eurobonds and Sukuk issued by the same issuer are significantly different to provide gains from diversification. The analysis, employing the delta-normal as well as Monte-Carlo simulation methods, implies such gains are present and in certain cases very significant.

Get up to speed quickly on the world's fastest growing financial sector The Islamic Finance Handbook: A Practitioner's Guide to the Global Markets is the definitive report for the Islamic finance industry. Written by the industry's leading practitioners, the book provides a country-by-country breakdown of the current state of the Islamic market, including league tables by region and by country. Relevant case studies are used throughout to illustrate the practical aspect of the information presented. Organized for easy navigation, each chapter features sub-sections that allow instant comparison between countries in a specific area of interest. The Islamic finance industry is the world's fastest growing sector, valued at over U.S. $1.3 trillion by the UK Islamic Finance secretariat, with an annual growth of 24% for the past five years. To compete globally, practitioners need a true understanding of key markets within the industry. The Islamic Finance Handbook paints a clear picture of where each country stands in its development and role within the market, and provides a straightforward comparison between markets. Features include: Current macroeconomic and microeconomic conditions Regulatory and political situations Recent transactions, key participants, and the investor climate Real-world cases, as opposed to speculative scenarios The book places a clear focus on current conditions versus past performance, and on practical applications versus theoretical speculation. Each chapter is authored by a leading practitioner from within each country, allowing a true glimpse inside the day-to-day workings of the Islamic markets. For finance professionals who need to get up to speed on this rapidly growing sector, The Islamic Finance Handbook: A Practitioner's Guide to the Global Markets is a clear, comprehensive guide.

Islamic finance has started to grow in international finance across the globe, with some concentration in few countries. Nearly 20 percent annual growth of Islamic finance in recent years seems to point to its resilience and broad appeal, partly owing to principles that govern Islamic financial activities, including equity, participation, and ownership. In theory, Islamic finance is resilient to shocks because of its emphasis on risk sharing, limits on excessive risk taking, and strong link to real activities. Empirical evidence on the stability of Islamic banks, however, is so far mixed. While these banks face similar risks as conventional banks do, they are also exposed to idiosyncratic risks, necessitating a tailoring of current risk management practices. The macroeconomic policy implications of the rapid expansion of Islamic finance are far reaching and need careful considerations.

Highlighting the impact of current globalization on financial markets, this topical book challenges the universality of Western property rights and interprets Islamic finance in Europe as part of a plural financial system, where different conceptions of economic justice(s) co-exist and influence each other. The contributing authors analyse key economic development and social integration issues from an Islamic perspective and outline the European approach to accommodating Islamic finance, with particular regard to the peculiarities of individual nation-states. Set in this context, the book presents financial pluralism as a device to enhance a level playing field in the global marketplace, as well as to foster a plural open society. Providing a comprehensive and methodological guide to Islamic finance in Europe, this book will prove an illuminating and informative read for academics, students and policymakers with an interest in the impact on financial regulation of an increasingly globalized world.