Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Iraqi Securities Commission (ISC)announced significant financial and economic milestones for 2024, citingnotable growth in the Iraqi stock market and an expansion of itsactivities.
According to the ISC's annual report, the number of registered companiesreached 112, categorized as follows:
- Listed Companies: 104 companies across regulated and secondary tradingplatforms, including non-disclosing entities.
- Unlisted Platform (ISX-OTC): 8 companies.
Government Bonds Activity
The market facilitated trading in several government bond types,including:
- Construction Bonds: Two issues in two categories.
- Reconstruction Bonds: Three issues in two categories.
- Completion Bonds: Two issues in two categories.
Bond Trading Highlights
1. Construction Bonds (Issue 2): 25,000 bonds traded, valued at 24.12billion Iraqi dinars.
2. Reconstruction Bonds (Issue 1): 5 bonds traded, valued at 4.92million dinars.
Stock Market Indicators for 2024
The ISC reported robust activity in stock trading:
1. Total Shares Traded: 809.7 billion shares, marking a 17% increasefrom 2023.
2. Trading Value: 690.4 billion dinars, a 3% rise year-on-year.
3. Executed Contracts: 182,967 contracts, reflecting a 17% growth.
Market Indexes
- ISX60 Index: Closed December at 1,073.84 points, a 20.23% increasefrom the previous year.
- ISX15 Index: Closed at 1,174.65 points, up 10.12% since itslaunch.
- Market Capitalization: Reached 22.33 trillion dinars, up 19% from2023.
ISX-OTC Platform Activity
The unlisted platform (ISX-OTC) reported:
- Shares Traded: 5.98 billion shares.
- Trading Value: 2.59 billion dinars across 2,295 transactions involvingthree companies (Al-Warka Bank, Rabee Brokerage, Al-Karmal Brokerage).
- Market Capitalization: 105.7 billion dinars.
Updates from Listed Companies
- Annual General Meetings: 72 companies held meetings.
- Financial Reporting: 80 companies submitted annual reports for2023.
- Capital Increases: 17 companies raised capital under corporatelaw.
- Dividend Distribution: 22 companies distributed dividends.
Optimism for the Future
Faisal Al-Haimus, the President of ISC, highlighted the positiveoutcomes achieved in 2024. "The strong indicators demonstrate our ongoingefforts to regulate the market, enhance transparency, and build investor confidence,"he stated.
"Our goal is to establish the stock market as a cornerstone ofIraq’s national economy while attracting local and international investments."
Looking ahead, Al-Haimus pledged to enhance the market infrastructureand broaden public and private sector participation.
Upcoming Trading Session
The ISC announced that the first trading session for 2025 is scheduledfor Tuesday, January 7, 2025, adhering to the official trading schedule.