ISX slightly down in this week’s first session

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) went down slightly on Sunday by 0.08% to close at 94.6 points in the first session this week as rates of shares of 14 out of a total traded 30 companies retreated. Sunday’s session saw more than 517 million shares worth 804.867 million Iraqi dinars (roughly $687,000) exchanging hands through 247 deals with one deal obtained by an Iraqi investor wroth 471,009 Iraqi dinars over the hotel sector. Rates of shares of 14 companies went down, 10 up while six remained as they were during the previous session. The banking sector took the lead with 68% of the overall trading activities through 68 deals worth 551 million dinars over 10 firms, followed by the hotel sector with 17% through 40 deals worth 140 million dinars over seven firms, the industrial sector with 7% through 76 deals over nine firms and a poor trading over the service sector through 59 deals worth 51 million dinars over three firms. 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) 2