ISX trading hits ID8.9 billion on Monday

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) trading activities hit 8.9 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $7.6 million), mostly over the Iraqi Islamic Bank in its second electronic trading session after it met its obligations for securities authorities and the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). Monday’s session saw trading over shares of 33 out of 84 electronically-registered firms, 12 of them went down, five up while 16 others retained their previous rates, with the ISX index registering a slight increase of 0.02% to close at 94.5 points. Traded shares hit 8.991 billion worth more than 8 billion dinars, with non-Iraqi investors grabbing 4 purchase deals worth 1.293 million dinars over the banking, insurance and industrial sectors. The banking sector took the lead with 94% of the overall trading through 131 deals worth 8.4 billion dinars over 12 firms, followed by the industerial sector with 64 deals worth 339 million dinars over eight firms and the service sector with 87 deals worth 135 million dinars over four 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, 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