PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (September 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 139th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND20 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | | 139 | 14 September 2023 | 29 September 2023 | 15 Days | 3.5000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.456 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 14 September 2023 stood at BND50 million.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank Date: 9 Rabiulawal 1445H / 25 September 2023M Ref: BDCB/COMMS/3
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (September 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 138th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND30 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | | 138 | 7 September 2023 | 21 September 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5300% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.436 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 7 September 2023 stood at BND75 million.
Download  BDCB I-Bills S138 - Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM GOVERNMENT SUKUK AL-IJARAH SECURITIES Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (September 2023) - Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), agent to the Government of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in managing and administering Sukuk Al-Ijarah issuances, is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 222nd issuance of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND50 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rental Rate | | 222 | 7 September 2023 | 5 September 2024 | 364 Days | 3.3125% |
With this issuance, the Brunei Government has thus far issued BND16.40 billion worth of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities since the maiden offering on 6 April 2006, and the total holdings of the Brunei Government Sukuk outstanding as of 7 September 2023 stood at BND300 million.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank Date: 26 Safar 1445H / 12 September 2023M
Ref: BDCB/COMMS/3
Download Successful Issuance of Brunei Darussalam Government Sukuk Al-Ijarah 222nd Series |
PRESS RELEASE
BUSINESS SENTIMENT INDEX (BSI)
FOR BRUNEI DARUSSALAM FOR JULY 2023
1. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) today published Brunei Darussalam's Business Sentiment Index (BSI) for July 2023. The index is based on surveys conducted on almost 500 micro, small, medium, and large businesses from eleven economic sectors in Brunei Darussalam, across all districts.
2. The monthly index is designed to measure the level of business confidence/sentiment in the country covering various aspects including current and future business conditions; investments; employment of workers; as well as costs of running the businesses. Therefore, the BSI serves as a leading macroeconomic indicator with its forward-looking element.
3. The BSI and sub-indices can be interpreted as below: 
4. There are nine sub-indices within the BSI. The main headline index, which is the Current Business Conditions sub-index, was 50.6 in July 2023. This indicated that business conditions were more optimistic compared to June 2023, mainly driven by businesses expecting a pickup in activities and sales as a result of events associated with birthday celebrations of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan in July. Survey results also showed that some businesses were more optimistic with the award and commencement of new projects, while some expected resumption and increase in business activities after renovation and maintenance works carried out in previous months. Looking ahead, the index for one month (1M) ahead stood at 50.4, indicating businesses expected to improve further in August 2023 compared to July 2023. Most of the optimism was attributed to the expected arrival of more inventories, new hirings as well as additional projects being awarded. There were expectations that previous investments made to improve technology, procurement of new equipment and machinery, as well as efforts to hire and train employees would result in businesses being able to work at a higher capacity.
5. The Investment sub-index was 49.9 for the current month, 50.1 for one month (1M) ahead, and 50.1 for three months (3M) ahead. This indicates that, in general, businesses are expected to decrease their investment expenditure in July 2023 compared to June 2023, mainly because significant investments had already been made in previous months. However, looking ahead, several businesses expect to increase their level of capital expenditure slightly in the next few months, especially project-related investments. Some businesses also planned to invest in various aspects such as upgrading IT systems, purchasing new machinery and equipment, renovating facilities, as well as increasing inventory to meet higher consumer demand. 6. The Employment sub-index was 50.3 for the current month, and 50.3 for 1M ahead. Continuing the trend from previous months, businesses generally expected to increase their employee headcount in July and August 2023. This is in line with new projects and expansion efforts. Some companies expressed the ongoing hiring challenges of both local and foreign employees. A small number of companies are reducing headcounts due to poor business performance.
7. The Costs sub-index was 50.4 for the current month and 50.6 for 1M ahead. Companies generally expected the costs of running their businesses in July 2023 to be higher than the previous month. This was mainly linked to the businesses' expectations that a pickup in business activities and projects would generally lead to an increase in operational costs. Survey results also showed that businesses expected to incur higher salary costs as a result of previous hiring efforts as well as an increase in costs of carrying out major maintenance works. Many businesses in several industries also raised cost concerns over the impact of the revised customs import and excise duties on plastic products effective from 17 May 2023.[1] in particular the Manufacturing; Wholesale and Retail Trade; and the Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries & Livestock sectors.
8. In terms of economic sectors, four out of eleven sectors reported expectations of more optimistic business conditions in July 2023. The Oil and Gas Related sector showed the highest optimism at 50.8, where businesses shared expectations of a pickup in production capacity after maintenance as well as better profit margins. The Transport and Communications sector also reported optimism with the expectations of peak travel season being in July, whereas businesses in the Finance and Insurance sector also expected better market performance. Survey results similarly showed that the Hotels and Restaurants sector expected consumer spending within the country to pick up as a result of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan's birthday celebrations in July 2023. On the contrary, two sectors that reported slightly pessimistic business conditions in July 2023 compared to the previous month were the Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Livestock; and the Wholesale and Retail Trade sectors. Businesses in these sectors cited the revision in customs import and excise duties on plastic products, and its impact on their overall costs and business performance as a concern. The other five sectors reported similar business conditions to the previous month.
9. In terms of the index by business size, businesses of micro and large size reported expectations of better business conditions in July 2023 compared to the previous month. Generally, these businesses expected an increase in business activities due to new projects and higher demand for their products and services. Small businesses reported similar conditions to the previous month while medium-sized businesses faced slightly worse conditions than June 2023. 
10. The time-series charts for the BSI and its sub-indices since August 2020 can be found in ANNEX 1. For more information on the BSI, members of the public can refer to the technical notes on the methodology and statistics on the BDCB website at www.bdcb.gov.bn and follow updates on the BSI through future press releases and BDCB's Instagram account @centralbank.brunei. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank
Date: 22 Safar 1445H / 8 September 2023M
Ref: BDCB/COMMS/3
ANNEX 1 Business Conditions 
Note: For 1M Ahead Business Conditions, the result compares expected business conditions in the month ahead compared to the current month. For Business Conditions sub-index, above 50 indicates expansion/optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month. Investments
 Note: For 1M Ahead Investments, the result compares expected investment in the next month compared to the current month while for the 3M Ahead Investment, the result compares expected investments 3 months ahead compared to the current month.
For Investments sub-index, above 50 indicates increased investment compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates reduced investment compared to the previous month.
Employment
Note: For 1M Ahead Employment, the result compares expected employment in the next month compared to the current month.
For Employment sub-index, above 50 indicates more new hires compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates a reduction in employee headcount compared to the previous month.
Costs
Note: For 1M Ahead Costs, the result compares expected costs in the next month compared to the current month. For Costs sub-index, above 50 indicates an increase in costs, and conversely for below 50. Index at 50 indicates costs were more or less the same in the current month compared to the previous month.
Sectoral BSI – August 2020 to July 2023
 Note: An index above 50 indicates expansion/optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month. Sentiment by Business Size
 Note: An index above 50 indicates expansion/optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month.
[1] The Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) announced on 6 July 2023 the temporary suspension of the excise duty rate of BND5 per kilogramme on a number of plastic products. Source: https://www.mofe.gov.bn/Press%20Room/Press%20Release%2006.07.2023%20[English]%20-%20Temp%20Remit%20of%20Ecise%20Duty%20Rate%20for%20Plastic's%20Primary%20Form.pdf Download Malay version here Download English version here Download Technical Notes here
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 137th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND45 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | 137
| 31 August 2023 | 14 September 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.406 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 24 August 2023 stood at BND80.5 million. Download BDCB I-Bills S137 - Press Release.pdf
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PRESS RELEASE BRUNEI DARUSSALAM'S RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY PRICE INDEX (RPPI) FOR SECOND QUARTER 2023 (Q2 2023) 1. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) today published Brunei Darussalam's Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) for the second quarter of 2023 (Q2 2023). The index is compiled using data sourced from the banks in Brunei Darussalam, and is published with close cooperation from the Ministry of Development, in particular the Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi). RPPI measures the rate at which the prices of private residential properties purchased by households are changing over time.
2. In Q2 2023, the RPPI was at 92.6, showing a decrease of 0.54% year-on-year compared to Q2 2022, and a decrease of 4.08% quarter-on-quarter compared to Q1 2023.
3. Based on mortgage data obtained from banks, there were 129 transactions for private residential properties in Q2 2023, indicating an increase of 5.74% in the number of transactions compared to Q1 2023 and a decrease of 0.77% compared to a year ago. For Q2 2023, the majority of these transactions were for detached houses (50.4%); followed by terrace houses (25.6%); semi-detached houses (20.9%); apartments (2.3%); and land (0.8%). 4. The overall median purchase price for all types of private residential properties was BND252,000 in Q2 2023, an increase of 1.0% compared to Q2 2022 and an increase of 0.4% compared to Q1 2023. The median purchase prices for specific types of properties were BND300,000 for detached houses; BND258,000 for semi-detached houses; BND200,000 for terrace houses; BND260,000 for apartments; and BND165,000 for land. The median price is widely used compared to the average or mean price in RPPI compilation as it is less influenced by a small number of unusually-priced properties within the house price distribution. 5. In terms of location, the majority of properties purchased in Q2 2023 were located in the Brunei-Muara district (108 properties), followed by Belait district (12 properties), Tutong district (8 properties) and Temburong district (1 property). In addition to this, the top 5 Mukim that recorded the most purchases of private residential properties in Q2 2023 were Sengkurong, Kilanas, Gadong, Mentiri and Berakas 'B'. 
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6. The published statistics and index should only be treated as general information. One should not rely solely on these data to draw specific conclusions on a particular private residential property as property values vary with location, land size, floor area, and so on.
7. For more information on RPPI, members of the public may refer to the technical notes on the methodology and updated statistics on the BDCB website at www.bdcb.gov.bn. Updates on the RPPI will also be available via BDCB's Instagram account @centralbank.brunei.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank
Date: 19 Safar 1445H/5 September 2023M Reference: BDCB/COMMS/3
Download Malay version BDCB Siaran Akhbar - RPPI Q2 2023 Download English version BDCB Press Release - RPPI Q2 2023 Download Technical Notes |
PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM GOVERNMENT SUKUK AL-IJARAH SECURITIES Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) - Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), agent to the Government of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in managing and administering Sukuk Al-Ijarah issuances, is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 221st issuance of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND100 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rental Rate | 221
| 10 August 2023 | 9 November 2024 | 91 Days | 3.5625% |
With this issuance, the Brunei Government has thus far issued BND16.35 billion worth of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities since the maiden offering on 6th April 2006, and the total holdings of the Brunei Government Sukuk outstanding as at 10th August 2023 stood at BND400 million. Download Successful Issuance of Brunei Darussalam Government Sukuk Al-Ijarah 221st Series.pdf
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 136th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND35.5 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | 136
| 24 August 2023 | 7 September 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5200% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.361 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 24 August 2023 stood at BND55.5 million. Download BDCB I-Bills S136 - Press Release.pdf
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PRESS RELEASE
BDCB ALERT LIST UPDATE AUGUST 2023 1. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) would like to inform members of the public that the BDCB Alert List has been updated. 2. The BDCB Alert List is a list of individuals, companies and websites which are neither authorised nor approved under the relevant laws and regulations administered by BDCB or whose activities raise a suspicion of illegal financial activity. This list is without prejudice to any further assessment by BDCB regarding the activities of the companies concerned.
3. BDCB would also like to inform the public that the following individuals, companies or entities have been included in the Alert List for the month of August 2023:
- AL-Agency Pelaburan;
- Amirul / Al Quantitative Robot Trading / Legend Business Sparkly / +60173035468 / MTC Asset Management (allegedly misusing "MTC Asset Management (M) Sdn Bhd");
- bdreliable_invest (IG profile);
- Fira Firamidah (FB profile) (8655490);
- Inter-Pacific Securities Sdn Bhd (allegedly misusing “Inter-Pacific Securities Sdn Bhd");
- Ismail Abdul Al-mana (FB profile) (8663837);
- Pinjaman Syariah Trusted (7367866) / Loan Syariah Brunei;
- Royal Investment Consortium;
- VvipBnTrade (FB profile); and
- 7257988 / Pg Damit / FB profiles - Nur Faizzah binti Nawang / Jamil Hamidon / Adi Prasetyo/ Baiduri Assistant.
4. The BDCB Alert List can be found on the BDCB website.
5. BDCB would like to remind the public to only deal with financial institutions licensed by BDCB, and to avoid any unlicensed entities or individuals carrying out or offering financial services, especially those with characteristics of get-rich-quick or pyramid schemes. Among the financial products and services that must be licensed by BDCB include money changer, money remittance and money lending. Members of the public are reminded that they may not have the protection provided under BDCB's regulatory framework should they choose to deal with entities, companies or individuals which are unlicensed or unregulated.
6. Members of the public may visit the BDCB website at www.bdcb.gov.bn or follow BDCB's Instagram @centralbank.brunei for more information on the dangers of unlicensed financial entities as well as on how to identify financial scams.
7. BDCB remains committed to the financial stability of Brunei Darussalam and to safeguarding Brunei Darussalam's financial system and the interests of financial consumers. BDCB will also continue to actively monitor any suspicious or unlicensed financial activities in Brunei Darussalam. If the public have any information on unlicensed financial activities, please contact BDCB at 2380007 or 8380007 or email us at fci@bdcb.gov.bn.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank Date: 8 Safar 1445H / 25 August 2023M Reference: BDCB/COMMS/3
Download Malay version here Download English version here
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 135th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND20 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | | 135 | 17 August 2023 | 31 August 2023 | 14 Days | 3.50000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.325 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 17 August 2023 stood at BND40 million. Download BDCB I-Bills S135 - Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 134th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND20 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | | 134 | 10 August 2023 | 24 August 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.305 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 10 August 2023 stood at BND45 million. Download BDCB-I-Bills-S134-Press-Release
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM CENTRAL BANK
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to invite suitably qualified candidates to apply for the positions below.
ASSISTANT OFFICER (S1) - Corporate Planning and Development
- Corporate Services
- Economics, Research and Statistics
- Finance
- Financial Infrastructure
- Financial Intelligence
- Technology (Cybersecurity)
- Treasury and Investment Management
The job description for each position can be found in the PDF file below.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the position must meet or possess the following requirements: - Be a citizen of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam;
- Have a passion for nation-building;
- Demonstrates qualities such as integrity and a desire to make a difference;
- Be strongly team-oriented, and committed to excellence and resilience;
- Have strong communication and interpersonal skills;
- Be fluent in oral and written Malay and English; and
- Be IT literate.
Applications are to be submitted via the online BDCB Application Form with the following items: - A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume; and
- Copies of relevant academic certificates and transcripts.
Please note that physical/hardcopy submissions will NOT be entertained. Applications should be received by BDCB not later than 12:00 noon on Friday, 18 August 2023.
ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED
Download Employment Opportunities in BDCB |
PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (August 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 133rd issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND25 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | 133
| 3 August 2023 | 17 August 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.285 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 3 August 2023 stood at BND75 million.
Download BDCB I-Bills S133 - Press-Release |
PRESS RELEASE
BUSINESS SENTIMENT INDEX (BSI) FOR BRUNEI DARUSSALAM FOR June 2023
1. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) today published Brunei Darussalam's Business Sentiment Index (BSI) for the month of June 2023. The index is based on surveys conducted on more than 500 micro, small, medium and large businesses from eleven economic sectors in Brunei Darussalam, across all districts.
2. The monthly index is designed to measure the level of business confidence/sentiment in the country covering various aspects including current and future business conditions; investments; employment of workers; as well as costs of running the businesses. Therefore, the BSI serves as a leading macroeconomic indicator with its forward-looking element.
3. The BSI and sub-indices can be interpreted as below:
4. There are nine sub-indices within the BSI. The main headline index which is the Current Business Conditions sub-index, was 50.0 in June 2023, indicating similar
expectations to those as of May 2023 where opinions were somewhat mixed across
sectors. Survey results show that some of the reasons for the optimism of
businesses were the expectations of better performance with new projects and
more sales with sufficient inventory and promotion of new products and
services. On the other hand, some businesses expressed pessimism with lower
sales in the post-festive period and they also observed cross-border consumer spending which affected
the businesses domestically. Looking ahead, the index for one month (1M)
ahead stood at 50.6, indicating businesses generally expected better conditions
in July 2023 compared to June 2023. Most of the optimism were attributed to
expectations of higher sales and more activities due to His Majesty's Birthday in
July where there will be more festivities and promotions during that whole
month. There are also expected new projects, opening of new outlets and
expansion of customer base
5. The Investment sub-index was 50.1 for the current month, 50.1 for one month (1M) ahead and 50.2 for three months (3M) ahead. This indicates that, in general, businesses expected to raise their investment expenditure in June 2023 and the next few months after. There are several factors that attributed to the plans to increase investment such as expectations of undergoing renovation of facilities and expansion of their businesses, purchasing of new equipment and machineries, IT systems upgrade and investment on human resource training. 6. The Employment sub-index was 50.3 for the current month, and 50.3 for 1M ahead. Continuing the trend from previous months, businesses generally expected to increase their employee headcount in June and July 2023 due to their expansion efforts. Some companies expressed on-going hiring challenges of both local and foreign employees. 7. The Costs sub-index was 50.3 for the current month, and 49.6 for 1M ahead. Companies generally expected the costs of running their businesses in June 2023 to be higher than previous month due to several reasons including increased recruitment costs and also raw material costs besides carrying out maintenance work. Some businesses also expected higher business costs in June 2023 with the revision of customs import and excise duties on plastic products effective from 17 May 2023. For the month of July 2023, a handful of large companies expected lower operating and maintenance as well as raw material costs, which contributed to the overall lower costs sub-index for the month ahead. 
8. In terms of economic sectors, only three out of eleven sectors recorded better business conditions in June 2023. The Finance and Insurance sector showed the highest optimism at 50.8 revealing better conditions with more loans extended and sales of insurance products. The index for the Health and Education sector was 50.2, due to provision of new services. The Hotels and Restaurants Sector also stood at 50.2, indicating that businesses in these sectors generally expected higher business activities due to organised events in June 2023. On the contrary, four sectors reported slightly pessimistic business conditions, namely the Construction sector; the Manufacturing sector; the Oil and Gas Sector; the Transport and Communication sector. Meanwhile, the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector is the most affected with index of 49.6 due to reduced consumer spending domestically. The Other Private Services sector; the Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Livestock sector; and the Real Estate and Ownership of Dwellings sector reported similar business conditions to the previous month. 
9. In terms of the index by business size, micro- and large-sized businesses reported expectations of better business conditions in June 2023 compared to May 2023. Generally, these businesses expected an uptake in business activity due to more projects and higher demand for their products and services. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized businesses expected similar business conditions to May 2023 for June 2023. 
10. The time-series charts for the BSI and its sub-indices since August 2020 can be found in ANNEX 1. For more information on the BSI, members of the public can refer to the technical notes on the methodology and statistics on the BDCB website at www.bdcb.gov.bn and follow updates on the BSI through future press releases and BDCB's Instagram account @centralbank.brunei.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank
Date: 15 Muharram 1445H / 2 August 2023M
Ref: BDCB/COMMS/3
Note: For 1M Ahead Business Conditions, the result compares expected business conditions in the month ahead compared to the current month. For Business Conditions sub-index, above 50 indicates expansion / optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month. Investments
Note: For 1M Ahead Investments, the result compares expected investment in the next month compared to the current month while the 3M Ahead Investment, the result compares expected investments 3 months ahead compared to the current month.
For Investments sub-index, above 50 indicates increased investment compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates reduced investment compared to the previous month.
Employment
Note: For 1M Ahead Employment, the result compares expected employment in the next month compared to the current month.
For Employment sub-index, above 50 indicates more new hires compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates reduction in employee headcount compared to the previous month.
Costs
Note: For 1M Ahead Costs, the result compares expected costs in the next month compared to the current month. For Costs sub-index, above 50 indicates an increase in costs and conversely for below 50. Index at 50 indicates costs were more or less the same in the current month compared to previous month.
Sectoral BSI – August 2020 to June 2023
Note: An index above 50 indicates expansion / optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month.
Sentiment by Business Size
Note: An index above 50 indicates expansion / optimism compared to the previous month. Index at 50 indicates similar/no change compared to the previous month while below 50 indicates contraction / less optimism compared to the previous month.
Download English version here Download Malay version here Download Technical Notes BSI
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (July 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 132nd issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND50 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | 132
| 27 July 2023 | 10 August 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5500% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.260 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 27 July 2023 stood at BND70 million.
DownloadBDCB I-Bills S132 - Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM GOVERNMENT SUKUK AL-IJARAH SECURITIES Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (July 2023) - Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), agent to the Government of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in managing and administering Sukuk Al-Ijarah issuances, is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 220th issuance of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND45 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rental Rate | 220
| 20 July 2023 | 19 October 2023
| 91 Days
| 3.6875% |
With this issuance, the Brunei Government has thus far issued BND16.25 billion worth of Sukuk Al-Ijarah securities since the maiden offering on 6th April 2006, and the total holdings of the Brunei Government Sukuk outstanding as at 20th July 2023 stood at BND300 million.
Download Successful Issuance of Brunei Darussalam Government Sukuk Al-Ijarah 220th Series
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PRESS RELEASE
BDCB POLICY STATEMENT 1/2023
- Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) today published its first semi-annual policy statement for 2023.
- In its Policy Statement 1/2023, BDCB noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected global growth for 2023 to be slower at 2.8% compared to 3.4% in 2022, before rising to 3.0% in 2024. Meanwhile, the domestic economy contracted by 1.6% in 2022, largely driven by a contraction in the Oil and Gas sector. Looking ahead, the domestic economy is expected to improve in 2023, mainly contributed by ongoing foreign direct investments projects. However, downside risks remain with expectations of slower global demand, lower crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas production levels, and uncertainty in the crude oil market.
- As central banks globally are still attempting to tame inflation, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, in its April 2023 Monetary Policy Statement, has decided to maintain its latest policy stance as the effects of its monetary policy tightening are still working through the economy and is expected to continue to lower inflation further. Taking this and available Consumer Price Index data into consideration, BDCB's inflation forecast for Brunei Darussalam for 2023 is expected to be within the range of 1.0% to 2.0%.
- BDCB noted that there was a slight decline in financial sector total assets of 0.3% year-on-year with total asset value of BND23.9 billion as of Q1 2023, of which BND14.1 billion (59.1%) was held by the Islamic finance sector. Deposit-taking institutions made up 91.9% of the total financial sector assets with an asset base of BND21.9 billion. The banking industry continues to remain resilient with an aggregate Capital Adequacy Ratio of 21.3% as of Q1 2023. Additionally, in line with the increasing interest/profit rate environment, an upward trend was recorded in the banking sector's profitability.
- In the area of capital markets, BDCB issued enhancements to its Notice on Licensing Examination and Guideline on Conducting the Regulated Activity of Giving or Offering Investment Advice to provide clarity on requirements relating to the conduct of Islamic investment business activities. Furthermore, BDCB also introduced provisions requiring oversight of virtual assets through amendments to the Notice on Requirements for Payment Systems and issuance of new Guidelines on Offering and Trading of Security Tokens in fulfilling the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) Recommendation 15 as determined by the Asia/Pacific Group (APG) Mutual Evaluation.
- The full version of BDCB Policy Statement 1/2023 can be found on BDCB's website at www.bdcb.gov.bn. For further information and enquiries, members of the public may contact BDCB at 8318388, or email info@bdcb.gov.bn.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank
Date: 3 Muharram 1445H / 21 July 2023M
Ref: BDCB/COMMS/3
Download Malay version here Download English version here Download the Policy Statement (Malay version) here Download the Policy Statement (English version) here
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PRESS RELEASE SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (July 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 131st issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND20 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | | 131 | 20 July 2023 | 3 August 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5000% |
With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.210 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 20 July 2023 stood at BND35 million. Download BDCB I-Bills S131 - Press Release
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PRESS RELEASE WARNING ON FRAUDULENT USE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM CENTRAL BANK CERTIFICATE
1. Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) has received information from the public regarding an image of a certificate purportedly issued by BDCB complete with BDCB's name and logo. BDCB can confirm that the said certificate is not genuine and was not issued by BDCB. 2. BDCB would like to advise members of the public to stay vigilant and wary when receiving information and materials purporting to be linked to BDCB through the unauthorised use of BDCB's name, symbol, design or representation. In the event the public receives suspicious information using BDCB's name or logo, they are advised to contact BDCB to verify authenticity by calling the BDCB hotline at 8318388 or email info@bdcb.gov.bn.
3. BDCB would like to emphasise that any person who uses BDCB's name or logo without its written permission or uses a name, symbol, design or representation identical or resembles BDCB's name, symbol, design or representation with the intentions of deceiving or to cause confusion or to be likely to deceive or cause confusion, is committing an offence under Section 74A of the BDCB Order, 2010, which carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding BND20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or both.
Brunei Darussalam Central Bank
Date: 24 Zulhijjah 1444H / 13 July 2023M
Ref: BDCB/MDO/COMMS/3
Download Malay version here Download English version here
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SUCCESSFUL ISSUANCE OF BDCB ISLAMIC BILLS
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (July 2023) – Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) is pleased to announce the successful pricing of its 130th issuance of BDCB I-Bills.
The total of the sukuk issuance was BND15 million with the following details:
| Series | Issuance Date | Maturity Date | Tenor | Rate | 130
| 13 July 2023 | 27 July 2023 | 14 Days | 3.5500%
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With this issuance, BDCB thus far has issued BND3.190 billion worth of short-term BDCB I-Bills since the maiden offering on 22 October 2020, and the total holdings of the BDCB I-Bills outstanding as at 13 July 2023 stood at BND35 million. Download BDCB I-Bills S130 - Press Release
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