ISX opens week with 0.7% up

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) opened the week on Sunday with 0.7% increase to close at 129 points as rates of shares of 25 out of a total 45 traded firms went up. “More than two billion shares worth 3 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $2.5 million) exchanged hands today (March 6) through 674 trading deals. Rates of shares of 25 companies went into the green, eight in the red while 18 retained their previous levels,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 125 purchase deals worth one billion dinars, mostly over the banking and industrial sectors, nearly 36% of all operations, and four sale deals worth 73 million dinars over the banking sector. The banking sector took the lead with 82% of the overall trading activities through 460 deals worth 2.5 billion dinars over 16 firms, followed by the industrial sector with 10% through 127 deals worth 322 million dinars over 13 firms and the hotel sector with 4% through 47 deals worth 109 million dinars over seven firms. Trading was modest over the service, agricultural, insurance 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, 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 (TS) 432