ISX caps week with 0.5% up

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index rose by 0.5% at the end of the week to close at 127 points as rates of shares of 11 out of a total 45 traded companies went up. “More than 1.9 billion shares worth 2.6 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $2.3 million) exchanged hands through 526 deals during Thursday’s session that also saw rates of shares of 19 firms going in the red and 15 others retaining their previous levels,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 100 purchase deals worth 370 million dinars, mostly over the banking and industrial sectors, and eight sale deals worth 20 million dinars, mostly over the banking and hotel sectors. The banking sector took the lead with 81% of the overall trading activities through 287 deals worth 2.2 billion dinars over 15 firms, followed by the industrial sectors with 14% through 158 deals worth 381 million dinars over 14 firms and the hotel sector with 0.3% through 26 deals worth 80 million dinars over seven firms. Trading activities were 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) 368