ISX trading hits ID584m at weekend’s session

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) trading activities this week hit more than 584 million Iraqi dinars (roughly $499,000) as rates of shares of 13 companies went down and 12 up out of a total 41 firms that traded in today’s session. Some 292 million shares exchanged hands at 584.548 million dinars through 236 deals, with non-Iraqi investors grabbing 33 purchase deals worth 58 million dinars over the banking, industrial, service and hotel sectors and a single sale deal worth 837,009 dinars over the industrial sector. The industrial sector took the lead with 35% of the overall trading activities through 134 deals worth 204 million dinars over 13 firms, followed by the banking sector with 31% through 61 deals worth 184 million over 13 firms, the hotel sector 30% through 18 deals worth 180 million dinars over six hotel firms and a shy trading over the service, insurance 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