ISX trading hits ID5.5b this week

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) this week traded over 2.7 billion shares worth 5.5 billion Iraqi dinars (ID) or $4.7 million through 1005 transactions on 18 out of a total 50 electronically-registered companies. The ISX trading last week had hit ID4.5 billion over more than two billion shares through 862 transactions on 13 companies. Forty-six out of the 1005 transactions this week went to non-Iraqi investors who traded over 22.6 million shares worth ID43.6 million. The banking sector took the lead this with 90% of the trading, followed by the hotel, industrial and service sectors. The ISX witnessed the first e-trading session on April 19 over five registered companies, three banks and two hotels. The banks are the Ashur International Bank (AIB), Al-Mansour Bank and the Iraqi Credit Bank while the hotels are the 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 three electronic sessions on a weekly basis: on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. AmR (P) 1