Slight increase of ISX index on Wednesday

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index registered a slight increase by 0.4% to close at 92.8 points as traded shares of 23 out of a total 44 companies went up. Wednesday’s trading session saw shares of 23 companies going up, 10 down while 11 retained their previous rates with more than 708.694 million stocks exchanged hands at a value of 1.156 million Iraqi dinars through 319 deals, including 6 for non-Iraqi investors at 8 million dinars mainly over the banking and industrial sectors. The banking sector took the lead with 81% of the overall trading activities through 181 deals worth more than 947 million dinars over 16 banks, followed by the industrial sector with 8% through 66 deals over 12 firms and the service sector with 6% through 36 deals worth 64 million dinars over five 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. SH (S) 1