RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center has completed its riyal-denominated sukuk issuance for November, raising SR3.41 billion ($910 million), a 28.19 percent year-on-year increase. In October, the Kingdom issued sukuk worth SR7.83 billion, while the figures for September and August were SR2.6 billion and SR6.01 billion, respectively. Sukuk, also known as Islamic bonds, are Shariah-compliant debt products that allow investors to gain partial ownership of an issuer’s assets until maturity. Saudi Arabia’s consistent sukuk issuances align with a report released by Moody’s in September, which stated that the global markets for these Islamic bonds are expected to remain strong in 2024. The report also projected that the issuance of Shariah-compliant bonds could reach between $200 billion and $210 billion this year, up from just under $200 billion in 2023. According to a statement by the NDMC, the November sukuk issuance was divided into five tranches. The first tranche, valued at SR2.52 billion, is set to mature in 2029. The second tranche was valued at SR434 million and will mature in 2031, while the third tranche amounted to SR137 million, with a maturity date in 2034. NDMC stated that the fourth tranche, sized at SR10 million, is scheduled to mature in 2036. The fifth tranche, valued at SR310 million, will mature in 2039. A report by Fitch Ratings in October highlighted that sukuk issuances are on the rise, driven by improving financing conditions following the US Federal Reserve’s rate cuts to 5 percent in September. Fitch noted that global sukuk outstanding reached $900 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2024, an 8.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. The report further projected that interest rates could decline to 4.5 percent by the end of 2024 and 3.5 percent in 2025, likely boosting sukuk issuances in the short term. In August, Fitch reported that the UK remains a significant hub for Islamic finance, with the London Stock Exchange ranking as the third-largest listing venue for US dollar sukuk globally. Saudi Arabia’s continued momentum in sukuk issuances reflects its commitment to developing the Islamic finance market as a core component of its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.