Shafaq News- Washington/ Baghdad

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is preparing a newlending program for Iraq, whose economy has been severely affected by thefallout from the war on Iran, after beginning talks with authorities inBaghdad, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said on Thursday.

Iraq was already facing severe financing constraints beforethe war began, she noted in a press conference, adding that the country'slimited non-oil revenue base was putting pressure on public finances.

Earlier this month, IMF Managing Director KristalinaGeorgieva revealed during the fund's annual meetings in Bangkok that Iraq hadrequested a new support program.

At those meetings, Georgieva praised the resilience ofglobal economic growth despite the wars in Iran and Ukraine, but warned thatthe impact of conflicts varied significantly, with more vulnerable economiessuffering the greatest damage.

Iraq's economy relies heavily on energy exports, most ofwhich pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oilsupplies. The country was facing significant fiscal pressures even before thewar began. The IMF forecast this month that Iraq's economy would contract by16% in 2026.

Iraq's last program with the IMF ended in 2019. It is due topay the international institution approximately $428 million in interestthrough 2030.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq ranked second among Singapore's naphtha suppliers, shipping 30,000 metric tons, behind Brunei's 37,000 tons, according to Singapore government data.

Iraq was also among the city-state's leading Middle Eastern fuel oil suppliers, alongside Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Singapore's total fuel oil imports rose 19.1% to more than 1.15 million metric tons.

Meanwhile, Singapore's onshore oil product inventories increased 0.9% to 38.49 million barrels, driven by gains in clean distillate stocks.

Middle distillate inventories, including diesel and jet fuel, rose to 8.5 million barrels from 8.31 million the previous week, while light distillate stocks, including gasoline and naphtha, reached a two-week high of 11.304 million barrels.

Residual fuel oil inventories, however, fell 0.9% to 18.68 million barrels.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar held steady against the Iraqi dinar atThursday’s close in Baghdad and Erbil, trading around 167,900 dinars per 100dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollartraded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 168,000 dinars per100 dollars, unchanged from the morning session.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollarat 168,500 dinars and bought it at 167,500 dinars, while in Erbil, sellingprices stood at 167,750 dinars and buying prices at 167,650 dinars.

Shafaq News-Baghdad/ Erbil

On Thursday, gold prices held steadyin Baghdad and Erbil markets, hovering around 955,000IQD per mithqal, according to a Shafaq News survey.

Gold prices on Baghdad’sAl-Nahr Street recorded a selling price of 950,000IQD per mithqal (equivalent to five grams) for21-carat gold, including Gulf, Turkish, and European varieties, with a buyingprice of 946,000 IQD, unchanged from Wednesday.

The selling price for 21-caratIraqi gold stood at 920,000 IQD,while the buying price reached 916,000 IQD.

In jewelry stores, the sellingprice per mithqal of 21-carat Gulf gold ranged between 950,000and 960,000 IQD, while Iraqi gold sold for between 920,000 and 930,000 IQD.

In Erbil, 22-carat gold wassold at 1,007,000 IQDper mithqal, 21-carat gold at 962,000 IQD, and 18-carat gold at 824,000IQD.

Shafaq News-Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar openedhigher in Iraq on Thursday, trading around 168,000 dinars per $100.

According to aShafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad's Al-Kifah andAl-Harithiya exchanges at 168,000 dinars per 100 dollars, up fromWednesday's 167,800 dinars.

In the Iraqicapital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 168,500 dinars and bought it at167,500 dinars, while in Erbil, selling prices stood at 167,750 dinars andbuying prices at 167,650 dinars.

Shafaq News- Basra

Iraq's Basrah Heavyand Basrah Medium crude prices rose on Thursday, even as global benchmarksBrent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) declined.

Basrah Heavy gained$2.56, or 3.58%, to $73.98 a barrel, while Basrah Medium rose by the sameamount, or 3.39%, to $77.98.

Brent crude futuresfell $1.22, or 1.1%, to $114.10 a barrel, and WTI dropped $1.33, or 1.3%, to$101.45, as hopes for renewed peace talks eased fears of supply disruptions inthe Middle East.

The OPEC basket alsodeclined, losing $2.04, or 1.74%, to $115.21 a barrel.

Shafaq News

Oil prices ​fell on Thursday,paring gains made a day earlier, as hopes for peace talks took the edge ‌offrenewed concerns over Middle East supply disruptions from escalating regionalconflict.

Brent crude futures declined$1.22, or 1.1%, to $114.10 a barrel at 0351 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate(WTI) crude futures were down $1.33, or 1.3%, at $101.45.

Brent rose 1.3% and WTI gained 3%on Wednesday.

US Vice President JD Vance soughtto ​revive peace negotiations by sending a letter to Iranian Security Councilchief Mohsen Rezaei, the Wall Street Journal said ​on Wednesday, citing USofficials and people familiar with the matter.

"Selling pressure isprevailing amid expectations ⁠that peace talks may resume," said YukiTakashima, an economist at Nomura Securities. "However, the declineremains limited."

This was due to ​concerns overintensified attacks by the Houthis and fears the US may launch an attack onIran following its midterm elections ​set for November 3.

The Saudi-led coalition fightingYemen's Houthis said it destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the grouptowards the kingdom's eastern region early on Thursday, as hostilities betweenthe two sides show no signs of abating.

The Houthis attacked Aden airporton Wednesday, Yemeni government forces said.

The attack came ​a day after theHouthis said they hit Saudi Arabia's biggest oil refinery with a missile,stepping up strikes against the ​world's second-largest crude producer afterthe United States.

Saudi authorities did notimmediately confirm the strike on the 550,000-barrel-per-day facility.

Qatari mediators have presentedIran ‌with a new ⁠draft deal to end the war with the US and Israel, anofficial briefed on the negotiations said, but a senior Iranian officialdismissed it as unacceptable ideas that did not amount to an offer.

Iran's foreign minister said onWednesday Tehran continued to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and flaggedthe possibility of completing its seven-day plan in less than a week ​ifadopted.

Some expectations of rising​crude and diesel production from ⁠Russia weighed further on market sentiment and prices.

"Since the October 15 strikeon the Ryazan refinery, there have been no further confirmed attacks on Russianrefining infrastructure," JPMorgan analysts said in ​a note last night."The silence has allowed Russian refinery runs to rebound by 350 kbd ​lastweek to ⁠4 mbd."

"Higher runs would alsoallow Russia to lift crude production by a broadly comparable amount, reversingpart of the recent decline that pushed output to 8.4 mbd—its lowest level since2003 ... (but) higher crude production would not necessarily translate intohigher crude exports."

The US Energy Information ​Administrationsaid on Wednesday that energy firms pulled 1.9 million barrels of ​crude fromstorage during the week ended October 23, versus analysts' forecast of a15,000-barrel build in a Reuters poll.

But gasoline stockpiles rose by3.9 million ​barrels, against analysts' expectations for a draw of 0.9 millionbarrels.

(Reuters)

Only the headline is edited by Shafaq News.

Shafaq News- Beijing

The Iraqi General Company for Communications and Informaticshad signed a cooperation memorandum with Chinese technology company Huaweiduring Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad’s visit to China, Iraq’s Ministryof Communications said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the ministry said the agreement aims to deepenthe strategic partnership, develop telecommunications and informationtechnology infrastructure, and advance Iraq’s digital transformation.

The memorandum also forms part of broader efforts to improvethe country’s digital environment and expand network infrastructure andelectronic services, the ministry added.

Sanad arrived in China on Monday for an official visit,during which he met with his Chinese counterpart, the minister of industry andinformation technology, to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularlycybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and fifth-generation (5G) technology.

China expressed interest in expanding technical cooperationand exchanging expertise with Iraq to keep pace with rapid technologicaldevelopments and serve the interests of both countries.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed Wednesday’s trading steady inBaghdad but edged higher in Erbil, hovering around 168,000 dinars per 100dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollartraded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 167,800 dinars per100 dollars, unchanged from the morning session.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollarat 168,250 dinars and bought it at 167,250 dinars, while in Erbil, sellingprices stood at 167,700 dinars and buying prices at 167,600 dinars.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq faces a monthly pension funding gap of 360 billionIraqi dinars ($236.8M) that continues to increase monthly, Hussein al-Darraji,a member of parliament’s Finance Committee, told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

The committee hosted the director general of the NationalRetirement Authority on Tuesday to discuss the authority’s overall andfinancial situation, al-Darraji said.

Iraq has around 3 million retirees, including 1.81 millioncivilian retirees and 1.221 million military retirees, al-Darraji noted,explaining that between 7,500 and 8,500 employees retire each month. “TheFinance Ministry supports keeping the mandatory retirement age at 60,” he said.

Salary payments in Iraq have faced financial pressures inrecent months, with government employees and retirees experiencing paymentdelays due to liquidity shortages and declining revenues.

Iraq’s public finances are also facing a widening gap betweenstate revenues and expenditures. Government data showed that the budget deficitreached approximately 30.4 trillion dinars ($20 billion) during the first eightmonths of 2026.

Finance Ministry data showed that Iraq spent 44.627 trilliondinars ($34.09 billion*) on public-sector salaries and social welfare in thefirst half of 2026, accounting for nearly 82% of total federalexpenditure.

* The dollar equivalent reflects the exchange rate beforeIraq devalued the dinar on Oct. 7, raising the official sellingprice of the dollar to 1,520 dinars from 1,320.

ShafaqNews- Baghdad

Iraqwas the fourth-largest destination for Turkish exports in September 2026,taking 4.6% of the total, according to data from the Turkish StatisticalInstitute (TurkStat) and the Trade Ministry released on Wednesday.

Germanyled the list with 7.9%, followed by the United States with 7.4% and the UnitedKingdom with 5.5%. Italy ranked fifth with 4.3%.

Turkiye'sexports rose 15.3% year on year to nearly $26 billion in September, puttingIraq's share at roughly $1.2 billion. Imports increased 5.6% to $31.1 billion,narrowing the trade deficit by about a quarter to $5.16 billion.

Iraqhas held fourth place for three consecutive months. In August, Turkish exportsto Iraq reached $1.079 billion, and in July they rose 15.5% to about $1.11 billion.Over the first seven months of the year, however, exports to Iraq fell 7.8% toabout $6.08 billion, leaving it seventh among Turkiye's markets for the period.

For2025 as a whole, Iraq ranked fifth among Turkish export destinations with a4.5% share, behind Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy.

Read more: Iraq imports from Turkiye down 5% in 2025

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Iraqi and Turkish officialsdiscussed investment opportunities for Turkish companies in Kirkuk’s oil andgas sectors on Wednesday, as the two countries seek to expand economiccooperation.

A Shafaq News correspondentsaid the meeting brought together Minister of State for Foreign Affairs andformer Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha, First Deputy Governor Rebwar Taha,and Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Anil Bora Inan, who arrived in the provinceearlier that day with a delegation from Turkiye’s Foreign Economic RelationsBoard (DEIK). The talks explored potential partnerships in energy and otherinvestment projects.

The meeting followed PrimeMinister Ali Al-Zaidi’s July 28 visit to Ankara, where he and Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan pledged to expand cooperation in energy, trade,investment, and transport, and signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs)covering industrial cooperation, police training, and youth affairs. Baghdadand Ankara also set a medium-term target of increasing bilateral trade fromapproximately $17 billion to $30 billion, prioritizing the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oilpipeline and Iraq’s Development Road project.

Read more: Turkiye, Iraq target $30B in bilateral trade

Investment in Kirkuk’s Oilfields

Iraq has tasked BP withredeveloping four Kirkuk oilfields —Kirkuk, Bai Hassan, Khabbaz, and Jambur—aiming to increase their combined production from approximately 328,000 to morethan 450,000 barrels per day and improve associated gas recovery.

In July, state-owned TurkishPetroleum Corporation (TPAO) agreed to acquire a 15% stake in BP Energy Companyof Kirkuk Limited, which is involved in the redevelopment.

Kirkuk is a major source ofIraq’s northern oil exports through the pipeline network linking the provinceto Turkiye’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. In August, Baghdad and Ankara signeda one-year agreement covering approximately 750,000 barrels per day of pipelinecapacity, while Iraqi officials outlined plans to eventually increase exportsthrough Turkiye to around one million barrels per day.

Turkish investment interestextends beyond energy. During a visit to Kirkuk in May, Ambassador Inanexplored opportunities in electricity generation, agriculture, industry,infrastructure, and tourism. In July, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat saidTurkish contractors had completed more than 1,150 projects across Iraq worthnearly $40 billion.

Read more: Four Iraqi Kirkuk fields target 450K bpd under BP

Shafaq News-Baghdad/ Erbil

On Wednesday, gold prices edgedhigher in Baghdad and Erbil markets, hovering around 955,000IQD per mithqal, according to a Shafaq News survey.

Gold prices on Baghdad’sAl-Nahr Street recorded a selling price of 950,000IQD per mithqal (equivalent to five grams) for21-carat gold, including Gulf, Turkish, and European varieties, with a buyingprice of 946,000 IQD, up from 940,000 IQD on Tuesday.

The selling price for 21-caratIraqi gold stood at 920,000 IQD,while the buying price reached 916,000 IQD.

In jewelry stores, the sellingprice per mithqal of 21-carat Gulf gold ranged between 950,000and 960,000 IQD, while Iraqi gold sold for between 920,000 and 930,000 IQD.

In Erbil, 22-carat gold wassold at 1,007,000 IQDper mithqal, 21-carat gold at 962,000 IQD, and 18-carat gold at 824,000IQD.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar opened Wednesday’s trading lower in Iraq,hovering around 168,000 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollartraded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 167,800 dinars per100 dollars, down from the previous session’s 168,000 dinars.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollarat 168,250 dinars and bought it at 167,250 dinars, while in Erbil, sellingprices stood at 167,650 dinars and buying prices at 167,550 dinars.

ShafaqNews- Basrah

Iraq’sBasrah crude prices fell by up to 2.4% on Wednesday, despite gains in benchmarkcrude futures.

BasrahHeavy crude slid $1.78, or 2.43%, to $71.42 per barrel, while Basrah Mediumcrude dropped 2.31%, to $75.42 per barrel.

Brentcrude futures rose $1.48, or 1.3%, to $115.36 per barrel. US West TexasIntermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.22, or 1.22%, to $101.12 per barrel.

The OPECbasket price climbed $2.16, or 1.88%, to $117.25 a barrel.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s state-owned Rafidain Bank has opened applications for a second round of electronic loans for employees and retirees, the bank said Wednesday.

Applicants must receive their salaries through Rafidain Bank and hold a Rafidain card. They can apply through the SuperQi app, a digital financial services platform developed by Iraqi payment company Qi Card, without visiting bank branches. All applications are subject to the bank’s lending requirements.

Last week, the bank launched the first round, accepting 5,000 applications per batch before temporarily closing the application link for administrative reviews and credit checks ahead of the next round. Approved applicants will receive their advances through daily deposits into their accounts.

The loans range from 5 million to 10 million Iraqi dinars ($3,289-$6,579), carry an annual interest rate of 6% and are repayable over five years.

Finance Minister Falih Al-Sari earlier ordered Rafidain Bank to resume lending after months of restrictions at state-owned banks. By September, most had suspended loans and salary advances amid liquidity shortages, while Central Bank data showed deposits falling 5.6% and cash credit declining 5.4% in the first half of 2026.

An informed source also linked the lending freeze at Rafidain and Rasheed banks to poor credit planning and delayed technology upgrades. Both banks faced regulatory scrutiny over their lending practices, investment financing and liquidity management.

Read more: Iraq’s private banks: Capital Growth and the structural credit gap

Shafaq News

Oil prices rose on Wednesday after an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia, the ​world's biggest crude exporter, renewed concerns around the ‌risks to supply in the Middle East stemming from the conflict with Iran and its proxies.

Brent crude futures rose $1.48, or 1.3%, to $115.36 a ​barrel as of 0140 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate ​crude rose $1.22 or 1.22% to $101.12.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Tuesday ⁠they had hit Saudi Arabia's biggest oil refinery with ​a missile, intensifying their strikes against the world's second-largest crude ​producer. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the strike on the 550,000 barrel per day facility.

Prices were swinging back after dropping nearly $2 on Tuesday ​as talks in the Middle East helped ease supply ​worries.

That was despite data expected to show a rise in crude inventories ‌in ⁠the US. Crude oil stockpiles rose by about 15,000 barrels in the week ended October 23, according to a poll of eight analysts by Reuters.

The OPEC+ oil-producing countries are expected to ​keep their ​December oil output targets ⁠steady on Sunday, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, in line with ​market expectations. Production in most of the ​seven core ⁠OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman — is below their output targets.

Crude oil exports from Russia's ⁠Baltic ​and Black Sea ports could fall next ​month as domestic refiners increase diesel output following a deal with Washington this ​month, traders said.

(Reuters)

Only the headline is edited by Shafaq News.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed Tuesday’s trading steady in Baghdadbut edged lower in Erbil, hovering around 167,900 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollartraded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 168,000 dinars per100 dollars, unchanged from the morning session.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollarat 168,500 dinars and bought it at 167,500 dinars, while in Erbil, sellingprices stood at 167,850 dinars and buying prices at 167,750 dinars.

Shafaq News-Baghdad/ Erbil

On Tuesday, goldprices hovered around 950,000 IQD per mithqal in Baghdad and Erbil markets,according to a Shafaq News market survey.

At Baghdad’s Al-NahrStreet wholesale market, 21-carat Gulf, Turkish and European gold sold for940,000 IQD per mithqal (equivalent to five grams) and was bought at 936,000IQD, down from Monday’s 944,000 IQD.

Iraqi 21-carat goldsold for 910,000 IQD per mithqal and was bought at 906,000 IQD.

At jewelry stores,21-carat Gulf gold sold for between 940,000 and 950,000 IQD per mithqal, whileIraqi gold sold for between 910,000 and 920,000 IQD.

In Erbil, pricesedged up. 22-carat gold sold for about 1.004 million IQD per mithqal, 21-caratfor 960,000 IQD and 18-carat for 823,000 IQD.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar opened Tuesday’s trading higher in Iraq,hovering around 168,100 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollartraded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 168,000 dinars per100 dollars, up from the previous session’s 167,750 dinars.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollarat 168,500 dinars and bought it at 167,500 dinars, while in Erbil, sellingprices stood at 168,100 dinars and buying prices at 168,000 dinars.

Shafaq News- Basrah

Iraq’s Basrah crude prices fell by $1.02 on Tuesday, trackinglosses in global oil benchmarks.

Basrah Heavy crude dropped 1.37% to $73.20 per barrel,while Basrah Medium crude fell 1.30% to $77.20 per barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dipped 44cents, or 0.43%, to $101.32 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped 66 cents, or0.57%, to $115.15 per barrel.

The OPEC reference basket stood at $115.09 a barrel, whilethe UAE’s Murban crude was priced at $117.67 a barrel, down 33 cents, or 0.28%.

Shafaq News

Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday as the potential fora ‌resolution in the US-Israeli war on Iran kept supply fears at bay, but Brentstayed close to six-month highs as attacks on Saudi Arabia lowered hopes ofimmediate stability in the region.

Brent crude ​futures were down 66 cents, or 0.57%, at$115.15 a barrel as of 0000 ​GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude wasdown 44 cents, ⁠or 0.43%, at $101.32.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks withIranian officials ​in Tehran on Monday aimed at easing tensions in the MiddleEast. Saudi Arabia said ​the visit sought to establish open negotiatingchannels to "prevent the return of military escalation". The fourcountries agreed to continue talks with a view to strengthening cooperation inpeace and security, ​Iranian state media reported.

Hopes of resolution in the conflict erased some fearsof ​supply disruption, lowering risks and pressuring oil prices.

However, losses were limited as scope for peace looked‌fragile, ⁠with renewed attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on key producer SaudiArabia.

October has been the worst month for attacks oncommercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways, according todata compiled by a Washington-based think tank that has tracked maritimesecurity incidents worldwide ​since 2017.

The war ​has rippled across ⁠the Middle East, placingthe Strait of Hormuz at the center of the turmoil. The narrow waterway carriedaround a ​fifth of the world's energy supplies before the conflict erupted in​February.

Last ⁠week, Brent prices surged to more than $117 abarrel, the highest level since April, after a wave of Iranian attacks ontankers around the strait. Brent prices touched $117 on Monday ⁠as ​well.

Elsewhere, Russian refiners are raising dieselproduction in October ​after the government granted export quotas following theKremlin's supply agreement with the US, two industry sources ​close to thematter said.

(Reuters)

Only the headline is edited by Shafaq News.

Shafaq News- Washington

Iraq is expected to import two million tons of rice in the 2026–2027 marketing year, unchanged from the previous year's estimate, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data released on Monday.

Figures from the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service showed that Iraq's rice imports reached 2.181 million tons in 2024–2025, up from 2.125 million tons in 2023–2024 and 1.845 million tons in 2022–2023.

Globally, rice trade is projected to rise to 63.125 million tons in 2026–2027, compared with 61.345 million tons in 2025–2026.

India is expected to remain the world's largest rice exporter, shipping 25 million tons, followed by Vietnam with 8 million tons, Thailand with 7.5 million tons, and Pakistan with 5 million tons.

The Philippines is projected to lead global rice imports at 5.6 million tons, followed by Vietnam with 4 million tons, China with 3.3 million tons, and Nigeria with 2.9 million tons.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed Monday's trading higher in Iraq,hovering around 168,000 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollar tradedin Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchange markets at 168,250 dinars per100 dollars, up from the morning session's 167,750 dinars.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at168,750 dinars and bought it at 167,750 dinars, while in Erbil, selling pricesstood at 168,300 dinars and buying prices at 168,200 dinars.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Trading on the Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) rosesharply last week, with turnover climbing 32% to 3.388 billion dinars, about$2.2 million, even as the main index slipped and foreign investors were netsellers, according to a weekly report from the exchange.

Volume more than doubled, rising 106% from theprevious week to 3.818 billion shares across 4,279 trades. The ISX60 index, theexchange's benchmark, closed at 930.78 points, down 1.35% from its previousclose.

Shares of 68 companies changed hands during theweek. Another 26 did not trade because buy and sell orders failed to match,while 10 remained suspended for failing to meet disclosure requirements.

Foreign investors sold 23 million shares worth258 million dinars, about $170,000, in 131 trades, and bought 34 million sharesworth 55 million dinars, about $36,000, in 35 trades. That left net foreignselling of about 203 million dinars, or roughly $134,000.

The exchange holds five trading sessions a week,Sunday through Thursday, and lists 104 Iraqi companies in banking,telecommunications, industry, agriculture, insurance, financial investment,tourism, hotels and services.

Iraq devalued the dinar on October 7, 2026,raising the official rate for selling cash dollars to the public from 1,320 to1,520 dinars per US dollar. Dollar figures are converted at the new rate.