ISX caps week with slight up of 0.19%

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) ended this week’s sessions with a slight increase in its overall index by 0.19% to close at 95.3 points as rates of shares of 11 out of a total 33 traded firms went up amidst trading worth 2.4 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $2 million). “Thursday’s session saw more than 1.485 billion shares exchanging hands at more than 2.484 billion Iraqi dinars through 487 trading deals,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Rates of shares of 11 went in the green, nine went down to go in the red while 13 retained their previous levels. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 52 deals worth 94.5 million dinars over the banking, service, agricultural and industrial sectors and three sale deals worth 11.3 million dinars over the banking and service sectors. The banking sector took the lead with 64% of the total trading through 158 deals worth 1.592 billion dinars over nine firms, followed by the industrial sector with 18% through 192 deals worth 460 million dinars over 10 firms, the hotel sector with 10% through 48 deals worth 263 million dinars over five firms and the service sector with 129 million dinars through 76 deals over four firms. Trading was modest over the insurance, agricultural and investment 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