Iraq Stock Exchange sees 54% rise in shares traded in July

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraq Stock Exchange recorded a notable increase in trading activity in July, with 85 of 125 listed companies participating across 21 sessions during the month. A total of 166.66 billion shares changed hands, with turnover reaching 120.03 billion Iraqi dinars, up 1.2% from June. The number of shares traded rose 54.9% on a monthly basis, though the number of executed deals fell 8.3% to 24,342. The ISX60 index closed the month at 1,041.07 points, gaining 2.1% from its June close of 1,019.39 points, while the ISX15 index ended at 1,267.67 points, down 0.48% from its previous close of 1,273.79 points. The exchange also reported 38 licensed brokerage firms operating within the market, where equities and government bonds are traded through electronic systems.