CBI sales exceed $2b in Feb.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) sales in February 2009 registered $2.363.558 billion while the dollar exchange rate was stable all through 19 sessions during that month at 1,170 Iraqi dinars per dollar. The CBI dollar sales during January 2009 registered more than $3.054 billion at an exchange rate of 1,171 Iraqi dinars per dollar during the first two weeks of the month, going down to 1,170 Iraqi dinars per dollar in mid-January. “As a result of the new contracts concluded by merchants to import different kinds of commodities, the volume of sales went up during the first month of the year, aided by the global price decreases that lured importers to buy more dollars,” CBI Consultant Madhhar Mohammed Saleh told IraqiNews.com news agency. Total demand on the dollar hit $561.600 million in cash at an exchange rate of 1,176 Iraqi dinars per dollar, $1.801.985 billion at an exchange rate of 1,173 Iraqi dinars per dollar. The daily demand rate registered $124.397 million in 19 sessions held during February 2009 compared to January 2009 during which the daily demand rate registered $179.698 million in 17 sessions. The Central Bank of Iraq runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday. AmR (P)/SR 1