Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Monday Morning 1-12-26
Global Assets Are Moving Amid Escalating Geopolitical Risks Between Iran And The United States.
Money and Business Economy News - Follow-up Financial markets are closely monitoring the accelerating pace of events in Iran, where protests continue in Iranian cities. Meanwhile, press reports indicate that US President Donald Trump will receive a briefing on Tuesday regarding specific options for responding to these protests.
Iran had threatened the United States and Israel with retaliation for any attack on the country. These developments have a significant impact on global asset movements.
In his latest remarks, Trump indicated that Iran had called yesterday for negotiations on the nuclear program, suggesting the possibility of meeting with them.
Trump said on Sunday that the Iranian leadership had contacted him seeking to "negotiate" after he threatened military action amid mass anti-government protests in Iran.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, "Iran's leaders called yesterday," adding that "a meeting is being arranged... They want to negotiate." But he continued, "We may have to act before a meeting takes place."
Trump had indicated that he intended to speak with Elon Musk in order to restore internet access in Iran via Starlink technology.
With the escalating unrest in Iran and growing fears of its impact on global energy markets, investors and analysts are turning their attention to the level of risk threatening oil supplies and the market's readiness to react to it.https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=64460
USD/IQD Exchange Rates Inch Higher In Baghdad, Erbil
Economy & Business 2026-01-12 Shafaq News– Baghdad/ Erbil The US dollar strengthened against the Iraqi dinar on Monday in Baghdad and Erbil markets.
According to a Shafaq News survey, Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya central exchanges registered a rate of 146,800 dinars per $100, up from 146,000 dinars on Sunday.
Exchange shops in the capital recorded a selling price of 147,250 dinars per $100 and a buying price of 146,250 dinars.
In Erbil, the dollar posted similar gains, selling at 146,100 dinars per $100 and buying at 145,950 dinars.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/USD-IQD-exchange-rates-inch-higher-in-Baghdad-Erbil-9-5
Iraq Maintains Stable Oil Production Despite OPEC Decline
Energy Economy News – Baghdad A Reuters survey showed that OPEC production fell in December 2025, while Iraq maintained stable production levels, despite the OPEC+ alliance agreeing to gradual increases, due to declining supplies from Iran and Venezuela as a result of US sanctions.
The survey showed that the total production of OPEC countries reached about 28.40 million barrels per day during December, recording a decrease of 100,000 barrels per day compared to the revised November, as this decline came mainly as a result of the decrease in production of Iran and Venezuela, which limited the impact of the planned increases within the OPEC+ agreement.
The survey indicated that the OPEC+ alliance has slowed the pace of monthly production increases, amid concerns about a supply glut in global markets, several member countries nearing their maximum production capacity, and some producers demanding compensatory cuts for previous production periods that exceeded their quotas.
Under an agreement involving eight members of the OPEC+ alliance and covering December production, five OPEC countries – Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – were scheduled to increase their output by about 85,000 barrels per day, before accounting for compensatory cuts totaling 135,000 barrels per day, which included Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, thus reducing the actual increase.
A Reuters survey showed that the actual increase achieved by the five countries did not exceed 20,000 barrels per day, while Iraq's production remained largely unchanged, as Reuters data and OPEC secondary sources showed Baghdad's adherence to its production quota, despite differing estimates from some external parties regarding actual production levels.
In contrast, the survey indicated that Iranian oil production fell by about 100,000 barrels per day during December, affected by US sanctions aimed at limiting Tehran's oil exports, in addition to a decline in Venezuelan production by about 70,000 barrels per day, with expectations that pressure on supplies will continue in the coming period. https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=64473
The European Union Is Preparing Sanctions Against US Companies Over Plans To Annex Greenland.
Money and Business Economy News — Follow-up The British weekly newspaper, The Sunday Telegraph, reported, citing sources, that the European Union is preparing sanctions against American companies if US President Donald Trump insists on his plans to annex Greenland.
According to the newspaper, these restrictive measures may target American technology giants: Meta (classified as extremist in Russia), Google, and Microsoft.
Brussels may also restrict the operations of the "X" platform and impose restrictions on US banks and financial institutions.
The newspaper confirmed that the scenario of European countries closing American military bases on their territories is also under consideration.
The Sunday Telegraph described these measures as a last resort, adding that they might be taken if Trump rejects a proposal from Britain and key EU member states to deploy a NATO force in Greenland to prevent the island from joining the United States.
According to a decision by the Tverskoy Court in Moscow dated March 21, 2022, Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, was recognized as extremist and its activities are prohibited in Russia. https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=64458
Highest In History: Egyptian Stock Exchange Achieves Unprecedented Feat
Stock Exchange The Egyptian Stock Exchange achieved a new historic milestone on Sunday, the first session of the week, witnessing a strong and collective rise in the indices, with the main index EGX30 jumping by 2.48%, equivalent to about 1038 points.
The main index closed at 42,895.41 points, recording its highest closing level in history, surpassing its previous peak. During the session, the index touched new record levels at 42,965 points before settling at the close above it.
The rise coincided with huge gains in market value, as the market capitalization of listed stocks gained about 46 billion pounds, supported by strong purchases from foreign and Arab institutions, while some local institutions and individuals moved towards limited profit-taking.
Most leading stocks closed in the green zone, with outstanding performance from the banking, real estate and industrial sectors, while the EGX70 index for small and medium-sized companies continued to approach the 13,000 point level, indicating a widening of the upward trend within the market.
The EGX30 index is the main measure of the performance of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, and it consists of the 30 most liquid stocks by market value, and is calculated based on free market value.
This achievement comes after 2025, which witnessed a record rise for the Egyptian market, with the index exceeding 42,600 points previously, supported by improved macroeconomic indicators, slowing inflation, relatively stable exchange rate, and increasing foreign investment flows.
The current rise is attributed to increasing confidence in the Egyptian economy, especially with positive expectations for GDP growth, the continuation of structural reforms, and the attractiveness of Egyptian stock prices compared to other emerging markets. https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=64444
A Government Advisor Predicts The Price Of A Barrel Of Oil In The 2026 Budget.
Baghdad (INA) - Nassar Al-Hajj The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, predicted on Monday that the average price of a barrel of oil in the 2026 budget would range between $55 and $62, noting that these estimates are subject to change due to several factors.
Saleh told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Global forecasts, based on OPEC analyses and the context of the global oil market, as well as estimates from a number of international financial institutions, indicate that the average price of a barrel of global oil (Brent crude) expected for 2026 may move within an approximate range of between $55 and $62 per barrel, with an average tendency of approximately $61 in a considerable number of market estimates.”
He pointed out that "these estimates are based on market analyses and informal research related to OPEC forecasts and supply and demand balances in the global economy, and do not represent an official price figure announced by the organization."
He added that "these estimates remain subject to change depending on a number of influencing factors, most notably developments in geopolitical conflicts, changes in the pace of global energy demand growth, production policy decisions within the framework of 'OPEC+', as well as the accelerating shift towards renewable energy and climate policies."https://ina.iq/ar/economie/252424-2026.html