Malaysian Company Bioalpha Heading to Middle East

Datura stramonium: Herbal treatment for asthma

Managing director of Bioalpha Holdings Bhd announced that the health supplements company will be soon entering the Middle East market by mid-2015.

Bioalpha was listed for the first time on the Ace market of Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday. Hon Tian Kok, the managing director, announced after the company started trading that Bioalpha had signed a memorandum of understanding last year with the Fatima Group of the United Arab Emirates. The Fatima Group has more than 20 hypermarkets all over the UAE. With this much penetration they will be able to act as the distributor for Bioalpha’s products all over the country.

“We are now in the midst of registering our herbal products with the relevant department in Dubai and once approved, exports to the UAE will begin. Since Malaysia is seen as the global halal hub, we feel it is right for us to exploit this position and are currently working hand-in-hand with the government,” Hon said.

Bioalpha’s IPO offered 100 million new ordinary shares to the public at an issue price of 20 sen per share. The company’s market capitalization is estimated to be about RM 9.7 million.

The company manufactures health supplement products including processed herbs, functional foods, formulated ingredients, herbal and non-herbal supplements.

Sharia- Compliant Al Izz Islamic Bank to Issue IPO Soon After Eid Holiday

Al Izz Islamic Bank

Islam’s second Sharia-compliant bank could be approved for an IPO as early as next month if all goes smoothly as regulators examine the application of Al Izz Islamic Bank, headquartered in Muscat, Oman.

Observers say that officials at the bank are moving full steam ahead and issue managers are also making a large effort to have everything ready for the bank’s IPO to happen as soon as possible after the Eid holiday, most likely that will mean September.

The only problematic link in the progress of obtaining approval will come from CMA, the market overseer for compliance, which has still not bestowed final approval for Al Izz Islamic Bank’s IPO, although they have received an “in principal” approval from the regulatory board.

Interested parties have said that getting approval is not a major stumbling block, as it can take only one day for approval to be granted, and within a week the issue can be allowed. The subscription period however must be a full 30 days.

Middle East Investors Anxiously Awaiting Facebook IPO

The excitement about the upcoming Facebook Inc IPO, scheduled for May 18 is about to go up several notches as Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of the Facebook empire, embarks on the roadshow this coming Monday.

In the financial world a road show is designed to drum up interest in the company which is going public among investors. Company officials travel from investor to investor, explaining the potential value in backing their company. In the case of Facebook it is hard to see how interest can increase, as it already has reached borderline hysteria.

Investors from the UAE have been watching Facebook’s developments, anxiously waiting the launching, said by many to be the most awaited tech-related IPO since Google’s in 2004.

One investor, Rai Gaga from the UAE, has already informed his fund managers to get ready for the moment.

“I have been waiting since the first announcement was made in December. I have filled out the form. Although I am not sure of getting it due to such high demand. I am planning to invest anywhere between $150,000 to 200,000,"said Gaga.