IHS Markit and the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) has launched the iBoxx Tadawul SAR Government Sukuk Index, a riyal-denominated index aimed at tracking the performance of Saudi government sukuks.

The index, is designed to support the development of local financial products is the first of a series of benchmarks for Saudi government sukuks to be created using Tadawul’s market data and the bond pricing expertise of IHS Markit. It has been selected by Saudi exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer Alinma Investment as the benchmark for a new ETF that will be listed on Tadawul.

“The Kingdom’s inclusion in key international equity indices has paved the way for Tadawul to further strengthen its equity market. As we continue to emerge as a vibrant market, our fixed income securities require similar tools that can support riyal-denominated sukuks and bonds,” said Khalid Al Hussan, CEO of Tadawul. “Working with IHS Markit creates an opportunity to jointly develop benchmarks and other data-driven services that facilitate access to the opportunities present in the Saudi markets.” 

“Tadawul is the cornerstone of capital markets in the region, and we are excited to jointly develop independent benchmarks for the Saudi sukuk market,” said Sophia Dancygier, head of indices at IHS Markit. “Our shared goals are to advance transparency in the Saudi capital market and serve the investment needs of financial institutions domestically and internationally.”

The iBoxx Tadawul SAR Government Sukuk Index provides broad coverage of fixed coupon riyal-denominated government sukuks, with a minimum outstanding value of SR100 million. IHS Markit will calculate the index’s daily value utilizing its independent global bond pricing service. The index history begins on June 30 2019, with sub-indices also available across the broad maturity spectrum