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CandyKisses:  US threats close the Iraqi stock exchange at a loss

Economy News - Baghdad

The Iraqi stock exchange closed the weekend session, losing 0.35%, as a result of security developments in northern Iraq after the threat of the United States of America, strikes inside Iraq.

The bourse's main index reached 1,006.5, trading 890 million shares, worth 1.1 billion dinars, through 817 deals, on the shares of 40 companies.

As for the most active companies in terms of traded shares, the Middle East Bank topped the list with 200 million shares, worth about 243 billion dinars, and the Iraqi Islamic Bank with 182 million shares.

Tishwash:  Analyst: Al-Sudani is the first prime minister to work around the clock

 Political analyst Alaa Al-Azzawi confirmed today, Thursday, that Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani is considered the first prime minister to work around the clock, and his closeness to citizens increased his popularity, and Iraq has never seen a prime minister this close.

Al-Azzawi told the Iraq Observer Agency that the Prime Minister was on an official visit last week in the United States of America, and the world saw how he wandered here and there and the meetings and agreements that were concluded, as well as the meetings with senior officials in the United States of America, and when he returned to Iraq at the beginning of this week, he received On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in addition to holding intensive dialogues, and not least, Al-Sudani’s visit to Anbar Governorate yesterday, Wednesday, and his meeting with department directors.

He pointed out that this feeling and belonging in closeness to the citizen raised the level of trust that the citizen lost during two decades, in addition to the presence of general satisfaction with the general policy of the ministerial cabinet, which is considered the first government close to the people.  link

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CandyKisses:  Deputy: The development road will reduce the transport of goods from Basra to the heart of Europe by 72 hours

Deputy: The development road will reduce the transport of goods from Basra to the heart of Europe by 72 hours

Information / Baghdad

MP Mudar Al-Karawi confirmed on Thursday the existence of 3 advantages of the Iraqi development road. 

Al-Karawi said in an interview with Al-Maalouma that "the development road is a strategic development project that will start from the ports of Basra towards Turkey and from there to the heart of Europe with land tracks, railways and investments that may reach $ 18 billion."

He added, "The road is characterized by 3 important points, most notably reducing the extent of transporting goods from Basra to the heart of Europe in 72 hours, while all similar projects in the region have a double trip in terms of time, cost and logistical challenges, which makes the development road the most important genealogy."

He pointed out that "many countries have expressed their desire to have significant investments in projects on the development road, which will be implemented in 2025."

The development road is one of the strategic projects in Iraq, which will launch its first phase during 2025.

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Tishwash:  Will the agreements signed with the US Treasury reflect positively on the exchange rates?

Today, Thursday, economic expert Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani stated the possibility of Iraqi getting a green light to contract with Iranian companies that are not sanctioned by the United States, while anticipating the impact of the Central Bank’s agreement with the US Treasury on exchange rates.

Al-Mashhadani said, in an interview with Al-Iqtisad News, “The visit of the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, to America is very positive, but so far the results of what was agreed upon in Washington have not appeared.”

He added: “It is hoped that the Central Bank of Iraq will announce the measures that were agreed upon in Washington, which could have a positive impact on the exchange rate,” pointing out that “the real problem of exchange rates has not yet been solved, which is dealing in trade with banned countries.” .

The economic expert explained, “The economic aspect was the main focus of Sudanese’s visit to Washington, and it became clear through the meetings and discussions held by the Central Bank of Iraq, with the US Treasury regarding the sanctions imposed on Iraqi banks or even the issue of financial transfers to Iran, in addition to the required investments, which "It is possible to sign in the energy field."

He stressed, "Iraq got the other light by contracting with unsanctioned Iranian companies, which allowed the Ministry of Electricity to sign a contract to recover Iranian gas for a period of five years, at a time when the government is heading to end this file after 3 years, according to what was announced  link

Tishwash:  The most difficult option.. Warnings of the danger of floating the Iraqi dinar without achieving an “important condition”

Economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi warned today, Thursday (April 25, 2024), of the dangers of floating the Iraqi dinar, noting that such a step could lead to the dinar witnessing a violent collapse and rampant inflation that would jump prices to insane levels.

Al-Marsoumi said in a post on the social networking site “Facebook”, followed by “Baghdad Today”, that “some are proposing a solution to address the double price of the dollar against the dinar and the existence of a large gap between the official and parallel prices through a free float of the Iraqi dinar,” indicating, “i.e. Turk.” The dinar is in the market to find its price against foreign currencies through the interaction of the forces of supply and demand.

 Al-Marsoumi added, “Such a decision has some economic positives,” adding, “But the economy should not be taken in its abstract aspect, but rather insofar as it relates to people, especially the poor.”

He continued, "In light of Iraq's lack of a national private sector that could contribute to increasing the supply of dollars in the Iraqi market, and because of the large volume of imports, which reach 67 billion dollars annually, the only party that owns the dollar is the government," explaining that "in the event that the government decides not to intervene." In the exchange market, it is expected that the dinar will witness a violent collapse and rampant inflation that will cause prices to rise to insane levels that will cause severe damage to citizens’ living standards, and the poor will become more miserable, and will later lead to social tensions and a major rift in the social peace.”

It is noteworthy that the floating exchange rate or currency float is the currency exchange rate that has been floated so that it has become completely liberalized, so the government or the central bank does not interfere in determining it directly, but rather it is released automatically in the currency market through the supply and demand mechanism that allows the price to be determined. Exchange the national currency against foreign currencies.

It is worth noting that the price of the dollar in the local markets is still experiencing a state of instability between rises and falls, even though the official price in the Central Bank of Iraq is 132,000 dinars per 100 dollars, but in the local markets it is witnessing an increase of more than ten points and may at times reach double this.

The number is despite the numerous measures and packages launched by the Central Bank of Iraq, where some attribute that the reason for this confusion in prices is the result of smuggling operations and speculation in the black market for currency  link

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Tishwash:  Will the US withdraw from Iraq?

For the Biden administration, the primary concern regarding Iraq is to avoid a recurrence of the chaotic scenes witnessed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan

 It is being speculated that Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza since October have prompted a reassessment of the United States' regional policies, sparking discussions within the Joe Biden administration about the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and Iraq.

Allegations initially raised by major media outlets like Reuters earlier in the year have resurfaced in light of recent developments in the region.

While these claims have not been officially verified, conflicting statements are emerging from official sources regarding the matter. It is widely recognized that the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) has been the most resistant to the notion of ending the "endless wars," a concept often debated during the tenure of former President Donald Trump but never actualized. However, this issue transcends mere institutional sovereignty; arguments such as the ongoing fight against Daesh no longer suffice to convince the American public to support the expenditure of their tax dollars beyond their borders.

 Furthermore, the consistent support for withdrawal in Trump's stance, coupled with his rising popularity in polls leading up to the upcoming elections, adds pressure on the Biden administration to address this matter decisively.

According to reports in the international press, the issue of U.S. withdrawal from Syria has not yet been addressed. The current focus lies on the U.S. presence in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al Sudani has repeatedly stated that the mission of the U.S.-led coalition forces in the country has concluded and they should withdraw.

Additionally, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry has announced an agreement between Baghdad and Washington to establish a commission aimed at initiating discussions about the future of the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq. This commission will be tasked with determining a timetable for the gradual withdrawal of troops and the eventual termination of the coalition's presence.

Iraq vs. Afghanistan contexts

For the Biden administration, the primary concern regarding Iraq is to avoid a recurrence of the chaotic scenes witnessed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. As Trump emphasized, such "ineptitude" not only undermined U.S. hegemony in Afghanistan but also had repercussions extending from the Gulf to Eastern Europe. The resulting power vacuum led to new regional alliances, such as the Saudi-Iran rapprochement, which excluded the U.S. Moreover, it emboldened China and Russia in their pursuit of expanding spheres of influence.

Hawks in the U.S. assert that a scenario akin to the "apocalypse" witnessed in Afghanistan would unfold should they withdraw from Iraq. However, the contexts of the two nations differ significantly. Despite enduring years of U.S. occupation, Iraq maintains a functional state apparatus and an integrated democratic political system, setting it apart from Afghanistan. Moreover, its economy is self-sustaining.

The impediments to normalization in Iraq include not only the presence of the U.S. and proxy groups like the PKK but also Iran's military presence in the region. 

In this context, Türkiye's role proves invaluable. Ankara boasts seamless political, commercial and cultural ties not only with Iraq's central government but also with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the north. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent visit to Iraq unequivocally underscored Türkiye's pivotal role in fostering stability in the country.

Should the mutual occupation by the U.S. and Iran in Iraq cease, Türkiye could naturally assume a significant role as a mediator in the transitional phase. Such dialogue would serve as a crucial cornerstone for regional peace.  link