Why I Still Like North Bank
By Mark DeWeaver. I thought Sansar Capital’s recent report on the Iraqi banks was excellent. But I was surprised by its somewhat negative take on North Bank (BNOR). In particular, I found myself not entirely convinced by the following three points, which form the basis for their bearish case: Insufficient collateral for overdraft lending is […]
North Bank Under the Spotlight
By Padraig O'Hannelly. At Iraq Business News we've always been clear that Iraq is a land of both opportunities and risks. The challenge for any investor or businessperson has always been to decide what risks are worth taking, and at what price. In the investment arena, real out-performance can only come from having a different […]
Weekly Security Update 08 - 15 May 2013
By Tom Walker, Director, Assaye Risk COUNTRY OVERVIEW Levels of violence dropped this week in Iraq in a welcome respite from the previous weeks heightened levels of attacks and political uncertainty. Approx. 119 people were killed this week, bringing the yearly total to approx. 2085. Despite the drop in high impact attacks Iraq was by […]
Turkey Joins Exxon in Kurdistan Oil Deal
By John Lee. Turkish prime minister has said that state-owned Turkiye Petrolleri AO (TPAO) is has reached an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and ExxonMobil to carry out oil exploration in northern Iraq. Tayyip Erdoğan (pictured) told reporters: "Countries from various parts of the world are taking steps to explore and produce oil in […]
ShaMaran Falls on Results
By John Lee. Shares in ShaMaran Petroleum were down as much as 6 percent this morning following the announced of its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2013. (Unless otherwise stated all currency amounts indicated as "$" in this news release are expressed in thousands of United States dollars). Highlights […]
Speculation Mounts Over Maliki’s Health
By Ali Abel Sadah for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. On May 10, 2013, conflicting news reports about Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki suffering from a health problem were rampant in Baghdad, while speculation about what kind differed. On that day, […]
Calls to Address Dinar Rate Fluctuation
By John Lee. The First Deputy Chairman of the parliament has reportedly demanded that the Central Bank of Iraq address the fluctuating exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar, and disclose the reasons. Shafaaq News says that Qusay al-Suhai chaired a meeting of the Finance Committee, in the presence of central bank […]
Video: First Kurdish Fighters Arrive in Iraq
From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The first group of Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey as part of a peace drive with Ankara arrived to handshakes and embraces in Iraqi Kurdistan early Tuesday after a gruelling week-long journey. (Source: AFP)
Video: PKK Fighters Arrive in Iraq
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Turkey is edging closer to ending its 30-year conflict with the PKK. The separatist group is withdrawing as part of a peace process. The first group of fighters has now arrived in Iraq. […]
Kurdistan Real Estate Market Makes Comeback
By Abdel Hamid Zebari for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The economy of the Kurdistan region of Iraq fluctuates according to the state of relations between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government. A key indicator of the region’s economy, real estate, […]
Iraq Reopens Trebil Border Crossing
By John Lee. Iraq has re-opened its border crossing point with Jordan on Monday, the state-run Petra news agency reported. Jordan's Ministry of Transport said that the movement of people and goods through the Traibil [Turaybeel, Tirbil, Tarbiel, Trebil] border post (pictured) had returned to normal. Iraqi authorities closed the border for security reasons in […]
Iraq's Future: Post-2015 Development Agenda
Iraqis came together on Sunday to agree on their country’s most pressing needs, and send a message to the international community on what issues should be prioritised after 2015. With only two years remaining before the deadline of the Millennium Declaration Goals (MDGs), the UN is consulting with a wide range of Iraqi civil society, […]