ISX ends week with slight up, closes at 94 points

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) closes this week at a slight increase of 0.7% in its overall index to close at 94 points, trading over more than 656.564 million shares worth 834 million Iraqi dinars through 248 deals. Thirty-eight out of a total 83 electronically-registered firms traded in this week’s five sessions as rates of shares of 10 companies went up, 10 others retreated while 18 retained their previous rates. Non-Iraqi investors grabbing nine purchase deals worth 24.8 million dinars over the banking and industrial sectors and 15 sale deals worth 33.5 million dinars. The banking sector took the lead with 76% of the overall trading activities with 124 deals worth 638 million dinars over 14 firms, followed by the industrial sector with 11% through 65 deals worth 97 million dinars over 10 firms, the hotel sector with 2% of the trading through 20 deals over six firms and the service sector with 33 deals worth 38 million over five firms. The ISX witnessed its first E-trading session on April 19, 2009 over five registered companies, three banks and two hotels. The banks were: Ashur International Bank (AIB), Al-Mansour Bank and the Iraqi Credit Bank while the hotels were: Ashtar Hotel and Al-Mansour Hotel. On June 7, 2009 the Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank and the Warka Bank joined the electronic trading sessions. The ISX now holds five sessions from Sunday to Thursday. AmR (S) 1