A volatile year for Islamic finance – the only way is up? Once again the close of the year has come around more quickly than we ever thought possible, and it is time again for our annual review and outlook of the Islamic finance industry with a comprehensive overview of the highs, lows, peaks and troughs of the last 12 months – and what turbulent months they have been. The euphoric highs of 2014 saw an explosion of non-Muslim sovereign issuances push Islamic finance into the mainstream public eye and record Sukuk volumes drive the sector forward amid strong interest, robust retail performance and a burgeoning global asset management industry. Increasing awareness of the strength, stability and sovereign support for Islamic banking brought a wider reach and greater diversity to the table, while the sector also gained traction in a broad range of new markets and asset classes.

Originally published in Islamic Finance News Annual Guide 2016 - December 2015.