Goldman Sachs is reviving plans to raise at least $500 million with its first issue of Islamic bonds, a sign that Islamic finance is going mainstream as big conventional banks seek to tap Middle Eastern money. The U.S. bank will meet investors in Qatar next Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on the following day to discuss selling sukuk, a document from lead managers of the sale said on Thursday. The sukuk are expected to have a tenor of five years. If the issue goes ahead after the investor meetings, Goldman will become only the second non-Islamic bank to sell sukuk, after the Middle Eastern unit of HSBC did a $500 million deal in 2011. The underlying assets in Goldman's sukuk issue would be linked to commodities and crude oil, a source with knowledge of the plan said, adding that the proceeds would be used in the commodities business of J. Aron & Co, a Goldman unit. Other global banks are poised to follow Goldman. In recent months, France’s Societe Generale and Bank of
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