Dollar edges lower against dinar in Baghdad and Erbil markets

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The U.S. dollar's selling price against the Iraqi dinar eased slightly on Saturday in Iraq's free market, according to local exchange data. In Baghdad's official free bourse, the dollar traded higher during the morning before closing with a small decline, with goldsmiths and currency exchange offices reporting marginal price decreases compared with the previous session. In Erbil, demand for the dollar remained limited and the spread between buying and selling rates narrowed. Officials said daily shifts in supply and demand were directly reflected in prices, while informal exchange offices in the region moved in line with broader free-market averages. Low interbank trading volumes kept price movements narrow. The Central Bank of Iraq's earlier interventions were cited as continuing to support dinar stability, with market observers noting that the gap between the official rate and the free-market rate continued to narrow. No further details on trading volumes or central bank actions were immediately available.