Thursday’s ISX trading worth ID3.4b

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) on Thursday saw more than 2.241 billion shares exchanging hands at a value of 3.485 billion Iraqi dinars ($2.9 million) through 439 transactions over 32 out of a total 73 electronically registered firms, with its index registering a slight increase of 0.620% to close at 110.17 points. Rates of shares of 22 companies went up, six down while four retained their previous rates in a session that saw non-Iraqi investors trading over 1.196 billion shares worth 1.795 billion Iraqi dinars, 51% of the total traded shares, mostly over the banking, service, industry and hotel sectors. The banking sector came in the lead today with 84% of the trading activities through 226 contracts over stocks of 16 banking firms, followed by the industrial sector with 11% of the trading activities through 162 contracts over stocks of eight industrial firms. The ISX witnessed the first e-trading session on April 19 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, 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