The latest ISX Iraq Stock Exchange news including Banks, Capital, ISX Investment and more.
By John Lee. Writing in the Financial Times, a partner at a London-based financial advisory business suggests Iraq as a true frontier market investment. Citing precedents such as Japan in the early 1960s and Russia in 1995, Richard Greer, a partner at Laurel Capital Kingsway LLP, says: "The greatest opportunities for emerging market investors have […]
By Mark DeWeaver. On December 13 the ISX amended the Iraq Depository Center (IDC) bylaws to prohibit investors from owning the same names in accounts at different brokers. The new rule, which went into effect on January 7, requires anyone holding stocks in the same company through different brokerage accounts to transfer all of their […]
The latest article from our Expert Blogger Mark DeWeaver gives a concise overview of the fall and rise of the Iraqi Stock Market (ISX) over the past 15 months, and of some of the factors driving (and not driving) it. For the average non-Iraqi retail investor, however, it is difficult to participate in this market, […]
By Mark DeWeaver. Another roller coaster year for the ISX is drawing to a close. By the middle of May, the Rabee Securities RSISX index had fallen 24% from its early October 2011 peak. Since then, the market has staged a dramatic rebound. As of December 8, the index was down just 3% from the […]
By John Lee. The Iraq Stock Exchange says that Iraqi telecom operator Asiacell will start publicly trading its shares as of 3rd February. Associated Press also report that it will be the first stock float since the reign of Saddam Hussein. An Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 25 percent of the company's shares will take […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) has cancelled today's (November 22) session due to a technical fault in the Electronic Trading System. They are working to fix this problem. In addition, there will be no trading session at the ISX on Sunday (November 25) due to an official holiday. [Best forex brokers in […]
By Mark DeWeaver. The ISX-listed industrials are best known for their main products, which include everything from polyvinyl chloride pellets (used for plastics production) to refrigerators and air conditioners. These companies are typically partially state-owned holdovers from Saddam Hussein’s time. Many have difficulty competing with imports. Often their factories are overstaffed, have obsolete machinery, and […]
By John Lee. Asiacell has become the first mobile operator to reach an initial agreement to list on the Iraqi bourse, according to a report from Reuters. The company, part of Qatar Telecommunications, along with its two rivals Zain Iraq and Korek, were required to float their shares on the stock market as a condition […]
By Mark DeWeaver. The ISX historically has tended to go down in the second half of the year. Last November, I argued that this may be due to the timing of capital increases. (See this post.) If this is the case, the recently announced new rules on share suspensions mean that the market will no […]
By Mark DeWeaver. Original shares of Al Mansour Bank (BMNS) resumed trading on July 1 following the announcement of the bank’s capital increase and dividend plan. All shareholders will receive a 51% bonus share issue along with an IQD 0.068 / share dividend. Qatar National Bank (QNB) is also buying 85 bn new shares at […]
Earlier this month, the Iraq Securities Commission (ISC) announced that it would be moving against violations of its Regulation 16, which covers insider trading. Effective July 1, the Commission threatened to bar violators from trading and to cancel their trades. Regulation 16 defines insiders as including members of a company’s board of directors and their […]
The Central Bank of Iraq’s June 30 deadline for private-sector banks to raise capital to IQD 150 billion is fast approaching. Yet of the 21 ISX-listed lenders only three—North Bank (BNOR), United Bank (BUND), and Kurdistan Bank (BKUI)—have reached the target so far. Rabee Securities’ most recent bank sector report found that as of June […]
