What Was I Thinking?: Books: The New Yorker

April 11th, 2008

What Was I Thinking?: Books: The New Yorker

The latest reasoning about our irrational ways.


Can China and India save the US? | Comment is free

April 11th, 2008

Can China and India save the US? | Comment is free

Economies in crisis: The new economic powerhouses are less reliant on American consumption, but to conquer rampant inflation they must work together


U.S. banks ‘missing a trick’ with Muslim customers - CNN.com

April 9th, 2008

U.S. banks ‘missing a trick’ with Muslim customers - CNN.com: “When it comes to Sharia-compliant banking, few Western countries can compete with Britain. One of the world’s prime financial centers, the City of London is also the key Western hub for Islamic banking.
The Islamic Bank of Britain

The IBB opened its doors in 2004 and became the UK’s first and only standalone Islamic high street bank.

With 23 banks, nine fund managers and a number of international law firms offering Islamic finance in the City, by 2006 British Sharia-compliant assets were thought to be in the region of $22 billion.

The global industry has trebled in the past decade and is now worth around $531 billion.

Britain is also in the vanguard when it comes to Sharia-compliant retail banking, catering for its population of approximately three million Muslims.

In 2004, the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB) opened its doors for the first time, becoming the UK’s first and only standalone Islamic high street bank.

A number of Britain’s ‘big five’ high street banks are getting in on the act. Lloyds TSB and HSBC offer Islamic banking, including mortgages, current accounts and trust funds for children.

In the retail market, Britain is the only European country that offers government-authorized Islamic banking products.

In the United States, only regional banks like University Bank, Michigan offer Sharia-compliant products.”

(Via .)