ISX index goes up by 0.6% on Wednesday

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index went up on Wednesday by 0.6% to close at 91.7 points as rates of shares of 16 out of a total 31 traded firms saw a better time. “More than 780.803 million shares exchanged hands at 2.145 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $1.8 million) through 360 deals, with non-Iraqi investors obtaining 80 purchase deals worth 246 million dinars over the banking, industrial and service sector,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The hotel sector took the lead with 54% of the overall trading through 80 deals worth 1.177 billion dinars over eight firms, followed by the insurance sector with 23% of the overall trading activities through 13 deals worth 507.592 million dinars over 3 firms, the industrial sector came third with 17% through 145 deals worth 204 million dinars over ten firms and the service sector with 144 million dinars through 682 deals over two firms and the banking sector with 105 million over six firms Trading was modest over the insurance and agricultural sectors and a zero trading over the investment sector. 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, 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. SH (S) 1