Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Sunday Afternoon 8-11-24

Parliamentary Committee To Nina: A Government Team Is Preparing A New Draft Of The Oil And Gas Bill

Sunday 11 August 2024 | Economic Number of readings: 127  Baghdad / NINA / The Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee revealed the fate of the oil and gas bill that has been stalled since successive parliamentary sessions.

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Nahro Mahmoud Qader, stated in a statement to the National Iraqi News Agency ( NINA ): "The oil and gas bill has not reached the corridors of the House of Representatives yet, and has not been presented for discussion within the Council of Ministers yet."

He added: "No new draft of the bill has reached the House of Representatives at the present time," indicating that "Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has assigned a" tripartite ministerial team "to prepare a new final draft that will be presented first within the Council of Ministers for approval, and then sent to the House of Representatives later," ruling out at the same time that this law will be legislated during the current legislative session of the House of Representatives. /End5

https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?Key=1147107

Gold Prices Stabilize As Dollar Falls In Baghdad

Stock Exchange  Economy News – Baghdad  The prices of "foreign and Iraqi" gold stabilized in the local markets in the capital, Baghdad, today, Sunday (August 11, 2024).

Gold prices in the wholesale markets on Al-Nahr Street in the capital, Baghdad, this morning recorded a selling price for one mithqal of 21 karat Gulf, Turkish and European gold of 516 thousand dinars, and a purchase price of 512 thousand dinars.

The selling price of one mithqal of 21-karat Iraqi gold reached 486 thousand dinars, and the purchase price was 482 thousand.

As for gold prices in goldsmiths’ shops, the selling price of a mithqal of 21-karat Gulf gold ranges between 520,000 and 530,000 dinars, while the selling price of a mithqal of Iraqi gold ranges between 490,000 and 500,000 dinars.

The exchange rate of the US dollar fell against the Iraqi dinar on Sunday morning in Baghdad markets.

The dollar prices recorded a decrease with the opening of the Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya stock exchanges, at 149,750 dinars, while yesterday, Saturday, it recorded 150,150 dinars for every 100 dollars. 125 views  2024/08/11 - https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=46151

Oil Announces A Decrease In The Percentage Of Product Imports To More Than 50 Percent

 Energy  Economy News – Baghdad  The Ministry of Oil announced, on Sunday, that the import of petroleum products has decreased by more than 50% during the past two years, while indicating that local production is sufficient to absorb cars, generators, and everything related to power stations.

The media manager of the Oil Products Distribution Company, Rafid Sadiq, said in a statement reported by the official news agency, and seen by "Al-Eqtisad News", that "the oil company can talk about the daily consumption rates of oil derivatives, but the production rates are the tasks of the refining sector, and the Ministry of Oil has multiple sectors, including (refining, gas, extraction and distribution) isolated from each other."

He added, "The current production of gasoline and kerosene is about 30,000,000 liters per day, in addition to the increase in the past two months in kerosene for private generators," noting that "the consumption and import rate two years ago for kerosene and white oil reached 50%, and after the Prime Minister's government came to power, it declined to zero.

As for gasoline, the rate decreased from 50% to 25%, and these rates helped bring the Karbala refinery into service and expand the refineries in Dora, Haditha and Basra, and return the Baiji refinery to work at almost full capacity."

He pointed out that "these factors helped reduce the level of imports from 16 million of gasoline per day to about 7 million, and the numbers were similar for kerosene and white oil, and now there is no import of these two materials," indicating that "local production is sufficient to absorb cars, generators and everything related to power stations, but limited imports of gasoline remained due to the entry of some projects that are counted on in the FCC unit in Basra and the gasoline improvement unit in Dora, according to what is planned to reach zero imports of all petroleum derivatives."

He explained, "There is no specific number for the production, but last year more than 360,000 barrels were added to the refining capacity of the Ministry of Oil." 115 views  Added 2024/08/11 - https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=46159

Iraq's Oil Exports To The United States Fell Last Week

Sunday 11 August 2024 11:09 | Economic Number of readings: 187  Baghdad / NINA / The US Energy Information Administration announced today, Sunday, that Iraq's oil exports to the United States decreased during the past week.

The administration said in a table, "The average US imports of crude oil during the past week from 9 major countries amounted to 4.198 million barrels per day, down by 1.356 million barrels per day from the previous week, which amounted to 5.554 million barrels per day."

It added that "Iraq's oil exports to America amounted to 143 thousand barrels per day last week, down by 35 thousand barrels per day from the previous week, which amounted to 178 thousand barrels per day."

The  largest oil revenues to America during the past week came from Canada, followed by Saudi Arabia, then Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico, as US imports of crude oil continued from Colombia, Nigeria and Libya.   https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1146988

Oil Heads For Weekly Gains Amid Rising Mideast Tensions, Improving US Outlook

Saturday 10 August 2024 09:34 | Economic Number Of Readings: 170  Baghdad / NINA / Oil prices fell slightly in early Asian trading on Friday, but are on track to achieve gains of more than 3% this week after US jobs data eased demand concerns, as well as continued concerns about the spread of the conflict in the Middle East.

Brent crude futures fell nine cents, or 0.11%, to $79.07 a barrel by 00:30 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell one cent to $76.09 a barrel.

However, both crudes are on track to record gains of more than 3% on a weekly basis, according to Reuters.

"Crude oil continued to recover from its latest decline as markets focus on escalating geopolitical risks," said Daniel Hynes, an analyst at ANZ.

Libya's National Oil Corporation also provided some support when it declared force majeure at the Sharara oilfield effective Wednesday, stating that the field's production was being gradually reduced due to protests.

Prices rose after data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, suggesting concerns about a deteriorating labor market were overblown.

The dollar rose after the jobs data. A stronger dollar typically weighs on oil prices because buyers using other currencies have to pay more for dollar-denominated crude. https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1146792

Foreign Remittance Sales Rise At Central Bank Of Iraq Auction

Time: 2024/08/11 15:28:13 Reading: 897 times   {Economic: Al Furat News} Foreign remittance sales rose in the Central Bank auction on Sunday by 93% over cash sales, reaching more than $257 million.

Today, the Central Bank sold during its auction for buying and selling the US dollar 274 million, 469 thousand, and 407 dollars, covering it at a basic exchange rate of 1310 dinars per dollar for documentary credits and international settlements for electronic cards, and at a rate of 1310 dinars per dollar for foreign transfers, and at a rate of 1305 dinars per dollar in cash.

Most of the dollar sales went to boost balances abroad in the form of transfers and credits, which amounted to $257,110,407, up 95% from cash sales of $17,350,000.

The number of banks that purchased cash dollars was two, while the number of banks that met requests to enhance balances abroad was 16 banks, and the total number of exchange companies participating in the auction was 13 companies.   LINK

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