Emirates NBD's Islamic unit plans to issue more than $500 million sukuk this year and expects to merge with Dubai Bank before the end of 2012. Emirates Islamic Bank's Chief Executive Jamal bin Ghalaita told the Al Khaleej daily that ENBD will make 1 billion dirhams ($272.26 million) in revenue post the merger of Emirates Islamic Bank arm with Dubai Bank, the debt-laden lender acquired in October at the behest of the Dubai government. ENBD was given cash by the United Arab Emirates' federal government and guarantees by Dubai to help it integrate the business. Bin Ghalaita also said that Emirates Islamic Bank plans to tap the international debt market again in 2012 and issue more than $500 million sukuk to cover the expansion and activities of the new Islamic banking entity. Emirates Islamic Bank had in January this year sold a $500 million five-year, benchmark-sized Islamic bond, or sukuk, priced with a 4.72 percent profit rate. EIB's sukuk was the first debt capital markets issue from the Gulf region in 2012, followed last week by a Dubai government $1.25 billion Islamic bond, Reuters reported.
