UMEX Launches A Dedicated ESG and Sharia Compliant Trade Finance Service

LONDON - Jan. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- UMEX LAUNCHES A DEDICATED ESG AND SHARIA COMPLIANT TRADE FINANCE SERVICE

UMEX is to launch yet another ESG and Sharia compliant initiative. Umex Trade Bridge, a wholly owned subsidiary of UMEX Securities Group Ltd is to launch a socially and environmentally responsible initiative introducing an Ethical and faith centric trade finance service strictly catering to the socially responsible business sector. The service will be launched initially in the UK, and will also expand its activities in other EU and EEA countries, UAE, Mauritius and Malaysia, in the spring of 2014. The service will strictly adhere to ESG and faith-based principles in their financial products, solutions and services embracing seven key principles among its financial products, solutions and services: ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), Sharia, Fair trade, RI (Responsible Investments), SRI (Socially Responsible Investments), TEEA (Transparency, Ethical, Equitable, Accountable), and Halal. UMEX is to focus a proportion of its business on the Halal sector using Islamic principles and transaction models. The sector boasts of approximately $4 trillion globally and growing annually at approximately 10%. This sector has been largely underserved in the UK and Europe due to the fact that most Islamic financing models is managed by a handful of Islamic banks and a few mainstream banks in UK and Europe.

Generally, following 2008 financial crisis, top tier European banks pulled back from supporting international and cross border trade finance within the SME sector, leaving a few independents in the field which focus on this sector. Generally, new lending has decreased by half in five years, according to the study, jointly authored by the Institute of International Finance, the global banking industry body, and Bain & Co. the consultancy.

Small and medium-sized businesses in the peripheral Eurozone are being "starved" of credit, paying interest rates on bank loans up to three times higher than German SMEs, according to a report. Percentage decrease calculated on a country-to-country basis from pre-crisis peak to June 2013: volume of new loans to non-financials: UK (-20%) , Ireland (-82%), Spain (-66%), Portugal (-45%), France (-37%), Netherlands (-32%), Italy (-21%).

Highlights

Umex TB aims to provide businesses a range of trade finance instruments for enhancing cash flow, improving liquidity whilst meeting their market needs, and fulfilling their full commercial value chain obligations and bringing social impact to society through UTB's clients. One of the key highlights of the service is the introduction of Islamic financial models in its business activities. The current market size of Sharia and Halal sector within Islamic finance is approximately 4 trillion. A great proportion of this business is done by the Halal SME sector which is starved of working capital and transaction.

Umex TB's target audience includes SME's, microfinance houses, product distributors, manufacturers, import/export houses, commodity trades and retailers.

Umex TB offers various trade finance mechanisms such as: working capital, factoring, supply chain finance, lease back finance, commodity finance and other trade finance related services.

Umex TB again exemplifies UMEX Group's ability to consistently produce innovative structures into the international and cross border trade transaction space. It continues to emphasise on providing much needed liquidity and working capital needs as part of their strategy to ensure that the SME sector is well serviced in an ESG and Sharia compliant manner. All products provided by UMEX Trade Bridge are Sharia compliant and endorsed by its eminent Sharia Scholars to include Sheikh Nizam Yaquby and Mufti Aziz.

The service is to go live on the 15th of January 2014.

For further information, please contact at: UMEX Trade Bridge Plc. Unit 6 Shaftesbury Centre 85 Barlby Road London W10 6AZ United Kingdom T: + 44 (0) 208 969 4455 enquiries@umextradebridge.com www.umextradebridge.com

About Umex Securities Group

Umex Securities Group Limited (www.umexcmg.com) is a companyspecialising in ethical, ESG and faith-based (e.g. Sharia-compliant) financial solutions. Umex Securities Group has been on the forefront of creating specialised financial services and products that allow investor not to compromise on their ethical or faith-based values.

1. Source: Bain, Institute of International Finance.

2. Source: Europe's peripheral SMEs face loan crisis/ by Patrick Jenkins, Banking Editor.

3. Internet source: RBS INDEPENDENT LENDING REVIEW 25 NOVEMBER 2013, http://www.independentlendingreview.co.uk/RBS_ILR_Full_Re...