The SAMI Halal Food Index is championed by Rushdi Siddiqui, Global Head of Islamic Finance & OIC Countries, Thomson Reuters, in cooperation with Ideal Ratings, a leader in Shariah compliant fund management service and World Halal Forum, a leader in Halal industry.
The SAMI Halal Food Index will be governed by an Advisory Board comprising:
Rushdi Siddiqui, Global Head Islamic Finance, Thomson Reuters, commenting on the creation of this Index, said, "A Halal food index would build bridges to Muslim investors, generate Sukuk issuance for financing Halal food companies and help the development of the Halal food industry in OIC countries."
The SAMI Halal Food Index comprises over 200 food manufacturing companies from the Muslim world, with a combined market capitalization of over US$100 billion. To date, the SAMI Halal Food Index has outperformed several leading global Food indexes during the most volatile time period of March 2010 to March 2011 by 20%, according to IdealRatings data.
"The SAMI Halal Food Index has initially confined the criteria to those companies from Muslim countries only, and will consider including companies from OECD countries including UK, US, Canada, Brazil, France, Netherlands, and others," said Mohamed Donia, CEO of IdealRatings
The SAMI Halal Food Index will be the bridge builder for Islamic funds, exchange-traded fund investing, and Sukuk issues, as well as for global non-Islamic investors interested in the emerging food sector markets, a non-cyclical and therefore lower risk sector.