Bahrain Bourse Announces the Launch of Bahrain Islamic IndexOREANDA-NEWS. Bahrain Bourse (BHB) organized on Monday, 14th September 2015 a ceremony where the launch of Bahrain Islamic Index was announced. Bahrain Islamic Index includes stocks of listed companies that go in line with the Shari?ah compliance.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Bahrain Bourse Chairman Mr. Yousuf Abdullah Humood, members of Bahrain Bourse board of directors and Mr. Khalid Hamad Al Hamad, the Executive Director of Banking Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) in addition to CEOs, General Managers of listed companies that are computed within the index and a number of Bahrain Bourse officials.

Bahrain Bourse Chairman expressed his delight for the launch of Bahrain Islamic Index, which comes as part of the Bourse efforts towards developing and enhancing the Kingdom of Bahrain's position as a leading regional and international hub in the provision of Financial Islamic Services, which the Kingdom has achieved with the guidance of the wise leadership's policies, and the officials concerned with the planning and execution of the Kingdom's economic and financial policies.

Mr. Khalid Hamad Al Hamad, the Executive Director of Banking Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) said that the Central Bank of Bahrain encourages and supports this added value initiative that creates Islamic Banking and that will encourage Islamic banks and various types of companies to take new initiatives in the capital market, through mutual funds and securities that comply with the Islamic Shari`ah, in addition to the trust that investors will have in this vital sector.

Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said that launching Bahrain Islamic Index comes in line with the strategic position of the Kingdom of Bahrain as an international Islamic Financial hub, guaranteeing the provision of more investment products and instruments to equity issuers and investors of all types, classes and investment goals in the market.

The Shaikh added "we at the bourse hope that the launch of this index contributes in attracting more investors to invest in the Bourse, and utilize the available investment opportunities in the different economic sectors, in addition to the investment instruments at the Bourse, especially products and instruments that are Shari`ah complaint."

The CEO of the Bourse revealed that 17 companies will be computed within the index, all of which are with activities that comply with the Shari`ah's standards and regulations set by the Bourse's Shari`ah committee, adding that starting from today, investors and parties concerned with the Bourse's activity will be able to follow up the Index's performance on the Bourse's website, and in the trading bulletins issued by the Bourse.

Shaikh Khalifa added "This index will act as a standardized tool, adopted by investors in order to measure the fluctuations of their investment portfolios in the companies computed within the Islamic Index, which will assist them in taking the right decisions regarding these investments in the right time."

Bahrain Bourse CEO clarified that the Bourse has set a number of technical and financial standards to determine the companies that are computed and will be computed within this index, through a specialized committee which periodically reviews the companies' information, to take the appropriate decision regarding the inclusion or exclusion of these companies from the index computing process.