ISX index slightly up as week starts

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index saw a slight increase of 0.01% to close at 90.5 points on Sunday as rates of shares of 10 out of a total 35 traded firms climbed up, compared to the previous session’s 0.09% to close at 90.5 points. “Some 360.215 million shares were traded during today’s session at 476.582 million Iraqi dinars (roughly $407,000) through 262 deals. Rates of shares of 15 firms went down while 10 retained their previous levels,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 10 purchase deals worth 29 million dinars over the banking, industrial and service sectors. The industrial sector took the lead in today’s session with 36% of the overall trading activities through 111 deals over 11 firms, followed by the banking sector with 31% through 71 deals worth 150.6 million dinars over nine firms and the hotel sector with 18% through 37 deals worth 89.8 million dinars. Trading was modest over the service, investment and agricultural sectors. 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. AmR (S) 1