Sales of bonds that comply with Islam's ban on receiving interest soared to a record $24.5 billion in the first half, led by companies in Malaysia and the Gulf, according to New York-based ISI Emerging Markets.

Sales soared 75 per cent compared with the year-earlier period, according to ISI, which collates and produces information about emerging markets.

Deutsche Bank was the biggest arranger of sales at $952 million and Malaysia's CIMB Islamic, which sold $3.15 billion, the biggest borrower, ISI said in a statement.

Government sales of the bonds, also called sukuk, rose more than six-fold to $4.4 billion during the period, with 70 per cent of that in Malaysia, ISI said.

In the Gulf, Dubai government owned DP World, the world's third-largest container port handler, sold $1.5 billion of bonds and the emirate's Dubai International Financial Centre $1.25 billion, ISI said. Reuters