Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraq banking & finance news, with information on developments and opportunities.
By Salam Jabbar Shihab, for the Al-Bayan Center for Planning and Studies. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Real Estate and the Banking Intermediary Between Sellers and Buyers: Will the Real Estate Market Boom or Collapse? Several macroeconomic factors are driving the […]
By Ahmed Tabaqchali, Chief Strategist of Asia Frontier Capital (AFC) Iraq Fund, for the London School of Economics (LSE) Middle East Centre. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Empire Strikes Back: Trump 2.0 and Iraq's Dollar Accounts at the Federal Reserve […]
By John Lee. Back in January, Iraq Business News ran an online survey asking opinions on a revaluation of the Iraqi dinar following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. This survey did not pretend to be scientific, as respondents were self-selecting, leading to a high risk of sampling bias, but it served to show […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the reform process for Rafidain Bank and Rasheed Bank, with representatives from Ernst & Young (EY) in attendance. The discussions focused on aligning the banks' operations with international standards, addressing debt repayment mechanisms, and enhancing staff training. The Prime Minister […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Minister of Finance, Taif Sami, met with Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank's representative in Iraq, to discuss strengthening economic and financial cooperation. The discussions focused on strategic projects aimed at stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and developing infrastructure and human capital. Minister Sami emphasized Iraq's commitment to leveraging technical and financial […]
By John Lee. Iraq's delegation concluded its meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Amman (February 24-26), with participants including Minister of Finance Taif Sami and the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). Discussions focused on Iraq's economic performance and sustainable growth prospects, with the IMF acknowledging the progress made. Key discussions […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has announced a new initiative to support clean energy solutions, aligning with global sustainability efforts and the environmental policies of central banks worldwide. As part of its renewable energy initiative, CBI will offer low-interest loans to local brick factories, enabling them to switch from high-pollution fuel […]
By Ahmed Tabaqchali, Chief Strategist of AFC Iraq Fund. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Banks End a Second Year with a Bang The market, as measured by the Rabee Securities U.S. Dollar Equity Index (RSISX USD Index), continued with the process […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has decided to revoke the licence of Al-Tufan Company for Currency Exchange and Brokerage due to what it describes as violations of Regulation No. (1) of 2022, which governs the operations of exchange and brokerage firms in Iraq. Click here to see the full statement from […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported a 5.4-percent increase in banking sector loans and advances in Q4 2024, reaching IQD 64.12 trillion [$49 billion], up from IQD 60.81 trillion in the same period of 2023. According to state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), the CBI noted that this growth reflects improved […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported a 45.1-percent increase in its gold reserves in Q4 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Reserves rose from IQD 12.29 trillion in Q4 2023 to IQD 17.83 trillion [$13.6 billion] in Q4 2024, driven by both an increase in gold holdings and […]
By John Lee. In his speech to a conference in Baghdad, Ali Mohsen Al-Allaq, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), highlighted significant progress in digital payments, citing an increase in ATMs and e-wallets, which helped boost financial inclusion to 40% from 20% in just two years, supported by CBI initiatives. He noted that […]
