Rouhani Enters Iran Election Race Focused on His Economic Record - Bloomberg

Rouhani Enters Iran Election Race Focused on His Economic Record - Bloomberg:

"Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani will seek a second term, ending weeks of speculation by joining an election field with hardline stalwarts including his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and leading cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who’s seen as his most credible challenger. Rouhani, the 68-year-old moderate cleric who prioritized engagement with the West and was the architect of Iran’s 2015 landmark nuclear deal, registered for the May 19 poll at the interior ministry on Friday. Raisi, a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, followed within hours. All candidates are subject to a vetting process by the powerful Guardian Council, and those who qualify are to be announced by April 27. “I’ve come back again for Iran, I’ve come back again for Islam, for better stability across our country, for greater security and more progress,” Rouhani said after registering. “We have to gather again for Islam, to build Iran together. ”"



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Saudi's Bond Bling - Bloomberg Gadfly

Saudi's Bond Bling - Bloomberg Gadfly:

"Saudi Arabia's $9 billion sale of Islamic bonds will be a landmark in the market's transition from niche to mainstream.  For an idea of how these new bonds from the world's biggest oil producer could perform, look no further than the latest environmentally-friendly bonds.

Less than six months after raising a record $17.5 billion in the largest conventional bond sale by an emerging market country, Saudi Arabia received a warm reception for its first dollar-denominated sukuk this week. Investors ordered more than three times the amount of securities on sale, according to the Finance Ministry."



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