At present, many estimates show the neutral rate to be quite low by historical standards – indeed, close to zero when measured in real, or inflation-adjusted, terms.13 The current actual value of the federal funds rate, also measured in real terms, is even lower, somewhere around minus 1 percent.
Gross issuance of sukuk has quadrupled over the past few years, reaching about $ billion by the end of 2007 27 . 25  CHAPRA Umer, The global financial crisis: can Islamic finance help? Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance 2009, published by NewHorizon, Global perspective on Islamic banking and insurance; http://www.newhorizonislamicbanking.com/index.cfm?section=academicarticles&action=view&id=10733. 26  HESSE Heiko, JOBST Andreas, http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/2593.