MALAYSIAN Capital Markets Conference, attended!

UPDATED - 12 April 2010
As per comments by various presenters during the inaugural Conference last year...the RM has indeed strengthened!

Attended a 1 1/2 day inaugural Conference titled " MALAYSIAN CAPITAL MARKETS -Preparing for the Investor and Issuer Resurgence post-Credit Crisis " organised by International Financing Review(IFR) - THOMSON REUTERS at the Shangri-la Hotel, KL from 7-8 October 2009.

Common Themes:-

• ISLAMIC FINANCE - Growing Importance & Fast Growing Segment
( e.g 3years to establish IF on World Markets as opposed to 10years for Euro currency)
• ECONOMIC Recovery - Crisis is over....optimism compared to previous year!
• Indonesia - play on Indonesia..growing importance on the heels of China & India. 3rd Force!

Among the comments passed by Presenters:-

• RM becoming more attractive and is expected to strengthened
• Yen losing its lustre as a carry-on Currency
• Malaysia is the 3rd largest bond Market in Asia (The top being Japan )

Presenter's comments on IF / Development:-

• Commodity Murabaha - growing importance and acceptance as a means to manage IF's liquidity.
• IF as an alternative - IF was relatively unscatched (except for a few isolated incidences) during the 2008/2009 Global Financial crisis
• Sukuk Market - Emergence of Malaysia as World Sukuk Leader.
• Emergence of South Korea(presenter from KEXIM & participants from Korea such as Shinhan Asia) & France on the global IF map.

IF Blog COMMENTS:

Overall, it was a good conference to attend especially to update oneself of the latest scenario/ development in the Malaysian capital market - both conventional & Islamic.

I would suggest that in future, the Organisers should adhere more to certain protocol and/or customs e.g. asking for a show of hands as to who will attend lunch and listing VIP guests together with Conference participants in the same category is a definite "boo-boo".

PS: Good to bump into a Senior i.e. OP Effendi Abdullah of AmInvestment Bank.
Last met when he was an Assistant General Manager many years ago prior to my departure from EON's Islamic Banking Division.
Now, Director/Head - Islamic Markets & Public Sector