ISX wraps up week with slight 0.6% down, closes at 94 points

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index finished this week today with a slight down of 0.6% to close at 94 points as rates of traded shares of 19 out of a total 40 companies went down. Thursday’s session saw more than 266.976 million shares exchanging hands at a value of more than 463 million Iraqi dinars (roughly $395,000) through 339 deals with non-Iraqi investors grabbing 51 of them worth 36 million dinars. The banking sector took the lead with 32% of the overall trading today (May 20) through 70 deals worth 146 million dinars over 10 firms, followed by the industrial sector with 29% through 166 deals worth 138 million dinars over 13 firms, the hotel sector with 25% through 51 deals worth 120 million dinars over eight firms and a modest trading 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, 2009 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