The Iraqi government says that it has fully implemented its financial obligations towards the Kurdistan Region, 8 SEPT

The Iraqi government says that it has fully implemented its financial obligations towards the Kurdistan Region, 8 SEPT

 Federal government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi announced on Friday that the government has fulfilled its financial obligations to the Kurdistan Region; however, the regional government has failed to deliver oil and non-oil revenues to Baghdad.

In a previous post on Twitter, Al-Awadi stated, “The federal government is equally concerned about the rights of citizens in Kurdistan Region as it is about the rights of citizens in other governorates.” He also added that adhering to federal laws and agreements, as per the constitution, is the most efficient way to complete transfers and improve financial stability and confidence.

The speaker mentioned that despite the regional government’s lack of commitment, the federal government decided to lend money to the region in accordance with the Federal Budget Law. The federal government also decided not to hold I raqi citizens in the region responsible for non-compliance. The loan was granted to the region until its financial issues are addressed in a fundamental manner.

According to Al-Awadi, the federal government has fulfilled its financial obligations to the Kurdistan Region and has put in great efforts to come up with solutions. As of June, the amount owed by the region was more than three times its share based on the state’s actual spending, while the regional government did not provide any oil or non-oil revenues.

On Wednesday, the Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Region requested the federal government in Baghdad to release the financial benefits owed to the region as specified in the budget tables. They also appealed to the international community for support in ensuring that the Kurdistan Region receives its constitutional rights and financial entitlements in accordance with the constitution and the signed agreements.

On Thursday, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, accused the federal government in Baghdad of violating constitutional agreements by failing to send financial dues to the region.

Barzani claimed in a blog post on X (formerly Twitter) that Baghdad’s refusal to pay their financial dues, as agreed in the federal general budget, violates the constitution, harms their citizens, and undermines confidence.

The BRICS group plans to launch its own 100-denomination security, called the 100 Brics, or "100 BRICS", (ENGLISH & SPANISH), 8 SEPT

 The BRICS group plans to launch its own 100-denomination 

security, called the 100 Brics, or "100 BRICS".

Russia has presented a bill of 100 BRICS

OREANDA-NEWS  Russian Ambassador to South Africa Ilya

Rogachev presented a 100 BRICS banknote at a meeting with 

UAE Ambassador Mahesh Saeed Al Hameli in Pretoria, the 

Iranian Irna news agency reports.

Rogachev handed over this banknote to a colleague on the 

occasion of the admission of the Middle Eastern state to the

union. It is noted that the bill was printed in Russia. 

On one side of the banknote are the flags of the five BRICS

countries, on the other — the symbols of the countries that

are to enter the bloc.

Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on

Economic Policy Mikhail Delyagin expressed the opinion 

that in 2025 the United States will lose its dominant

economic position. He also said that the creation of a

single BRICS currency could accelerate the collapse of the

dollar.

Senior banker of VEB.The Russian Federation and former

Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak, in turn, called

the project of creating a single currency of unification

a utopia. He believes that currently the participating

countries need to focus on establishing settlement

processes in national currencies among themselves. link     

------

¡DECIDIDOS A DESDOLARIZARSE! Rusia presenta primer 

billete simbólico de los BRICS

El jefe de la misión diplomática rusa en Sudáfrica, Ilya Igorevich

 Rogachev, exhibió el martes por la noche de manera simbólica un

 billete de 100 brics y lo regaló al embajador de los Emiratos

 Árabes Unidos en el país africano, durante una ceremonia en la

 embajada emiratí para celebrar el ingreso del país árabe en el

 bloque de economías emergentes, los BRICS.

La iniciativa simbólica y política de Rusia, que forma parte de

 los esfuerzos del grupo BRICS para crear una moneda común para 

no depender del dólar estadounidense, fue aplaudida por los 

invitados en el evento.

En un lado del billete se ven las banderas de los cinco Estados 

fundadores del bloque, es decir, Brasil, Rusia, India, China y 

Sudáfrica, y en otro están publicadas las insignias de otros

 siete Estados, entre los que figura la bandera de la República 

Islámica de Irán.

Rusia comienza promoción de la moneda común

El grupo internacional de economías emergentes BRICS acordó su 

expansión con el ingreso en el bloque

 de Irán, Argentina, Arabia Saudí, Egipto, Etiopía, y Emiratos 

Árabes Unidos en la XV Cumbre de

 Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno que tuvo lugar en agosto en Sudáfrica.

Los intentos por desdolarizar las transacciones de BRICS comenzaron

 en medio de un escenario en el que Estados Unidos apostaba 

por las sanciones unilaterales y la guerra económica contra 

algunos de los miembros del bloque, como Rusia y China

El grupo BRICS, que tiene el 32% del PIB mundial, sirve de 

contrapeso  para el Grupo de los Siete [que reúne a las siete

 mayores economías mundiales] y su expansión podría llevar a

 la quiebra la economía estadounidense.

NAM – Agencia 

https://noticiaalminuto.com/decididos-a-desdolarizarse-rusia-presenta-

primer-billete-simbolico-de-los-brics/

TNT CC VIDEO, 8 SEPT

BRUCE'S BIG CALL, 8 SEPT

Bruce’s Big Call Dinar Intel Thursday Night 9-7-23   REPLAY LINK   Intel Begins   1:21:51

https://www.freeconferencecallhd.com/wall/recorded_audio?audioRecordingUrl=https%3A%2F%2Frs0002.freeconferencecall.com%2Fstorage%2FsgetHD%2FHsCgW%2FHyQP

Transcribed By WiserNow

Welcome everybody to the Big Call tonight. It is Thursday, September 7th and you’re listening to the big call. Glad you all tuned in from wherever you are all over the globe. And we look forward to having a good call tonight for you, with some good information from everybody. Let's start with today's Thursday - We had some decent intel on Tuesday. What we received today from international upper bond contacts in Geneva and some additional people are just saying that the funds are moving overnight tonight and tomorrow primarily to be used for NESARA and GESARA. But we also know that these are also preliminarily being moved for the bondholders and intermediaries. However, we do believe that the emails that are coming out for us and the activation of funds to the tier three bondholders will occur Sunday night into Monday so we have a weekend where some things are moving, but it looks like for us and if we're going to be right alongside the bondholders in terms of getting access to funds, they - the tier three bondholders are supposed to get access to their funds on Monday and quite possibly Monday night. There seems to be a period there where they'll actually get the email to go ahead the okay to get that but it's not going to be as immediate I don't believe as Monday morning. The funds are moving into their accounts Sunday night overnight and into Monday - and those funds are there for us - we should get our notifications Monday, Sunday night into Monday. So that means Monday And hopefully we set our appointments and can either start Monday afternoon, or Tuesday. That's the latest most recent half hour before the start of the big call tonight information Otherwise what has been happening with the redemption centers across the country a few days ago - the SKR’s You guys remember that term from a long time ago for safekeeping receipts from SKRs from 18 and 19 years ago - were being paid out by redemption centers and they were paid at not the rates that were on the original document as sort of a base guaranteed rate, but as the newer screen rates that have been showing up a few days ago, and they were quite quite good, quite high, way higher than we all thought it would be 18 or 19 years ago. So that was encouraging - 80% Of those. in one case, were military the other 20% were non military. And this was on dinar and Dong - Only Dinar and Dong . So when that occurs that gave us the feeling that okay, they've at least counted for SKR’s to be paid out. Aren't we right around the corner aren't we next? and you would say Yeah, we should be. So we're next but the tier three bondholders have to also be made liquid which we believe is going to be slightly ahead of us but not much. And so that they're looking to get access to their funds sometime Monday, Monday afternoon evening. And that may be - maybe when we are numbers by Monday morning and set our appointments and start Monday afternoon. That's the hope that will happen now. Iraq did not put their new rates on the dinar in their gazette - their official document called the Gazette yesterday, which is a major publication day Wednesdays and Saturdays. But according to our contacts in Iraq, they should be putting in Saturday's gazette - you know we sort of got started already with the SK R’s - Tomorrow is the eighth - It's a big day for China, numerically - It's possible that something else happens tomorrow. So we'll see what happens. Funds are moving. I'm so tired if you're hearing the term. This is another banned phrase on the big call “money is moving” blah blah blah blah blah. I know you guys hear that, and roll your eyes like I do. Money is moving, what money - whose money? where is it moving to? Where did it come from? These are the questions that I try to ask. I don't always get the answers I want. But I try to find out if I'm just going to the Treasury, you know, what's the deal? Trying to get the detail to bring it out to you guys and I don't always get it Do I sound a little frustrated. Do I sound like I need some tapping or some havening? Yes, I do. (chuckle) (ha ha ha ) Of course I do. So not a whole lot else to report right now - Other than we're in a holding pattern, but it looks like things are moving forward. And we should be - if this intel holds up - which has changed twice today – already - But if this intel holds up, then Sunday night into Monday should look good for us. We're just going to wait it out and see but I don't I know it's difficult to wait - And it was interesting that the testimony that Sue read had the term “hurry and wait Intel” - I never really thought of it that way and a little bit offended by that. But it has been not so much a hurry and wait but a wait. We do have things that are happening. Listen, there are tons of arrests that have taken place in upstate New York in the last couple three days - a bunch of them in Buffalo - Rochester and one other town. Okay, that's good. Cleanup is good. We also have half a million indictments around the world –internationally - that are about to be opened. So, you know, we're still in major cleanup mode. We really are. Are we far enough along in the cleanup for this to go - I'm being told we are - I'm being told yes. you know, the deep state is out of money. The USD is no longer really available in it. and it's out internationally. We know the USN needs to show up. The banks are out of money. The banks Now that's not literal, but they don't have a way to borrow anymore since the Federal Reserve was absorbed by the Treasury . We did pay off the national debt. I say we was paid off as I mentioned on Tuesday night's call, you know by the world alliance fund. And then all the debt around the globe was paid off also. It was paid off on the first of September, today's the seventh. By tomorrow will be a week. And that should be a great sign for us -- moving forward into our exchange period. So I think we're we are in a little bit of a holding pattern - But I believe things are getting done behind the scenes that we don't quite see and I'm privileged enough to hear about certain arrests and things that are occurring, you know, on the other side, but, you know, it's, it's, it's something we have to literally wait for. and I feel encouraged. I like the fact that we should get started with our notifications coming Sunday night or Monday. Hopefully set those appointments Monday and start Monday night or Tuesday. So that is everything that I think I wanted to bring to you guys tonight. And it sounds like you know things are definitely moving in the right direction. I was super encouraged by the SKR’s being paid off. To me that was a sign things are really moving forward. Because I mean it took 18 to 19 years to pay those SKR’s off. So that was a good thing - A very good thing. Now beyond that. So let's see what happens with that. Let's see if we get the numbers don't get the numbers before then All right, so I'm gonna thank everybody for coming to the site listening in. appreciate it so much. And let's see what happens if we get anything over the weekend. We should possibly wake up to the Monday or Monday if they in fact sent out the email Sunday night. All right, everybody thank you so much and thank all in big call universe that did hear this call tonight. We appreciate you very much. And thank you for listening.

This is for Iraqi only housing and bank account BY NADER FROM MID EAST

Dollar prices remain stable in Baghdad, rise in Erbil amid market closure, 8 SEPT

 Dollar prices in Baghdad and Erbil markets stabilized on Thursday

At the end of the trading session on the Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya stock exchanges in Baghdad, the exchange rate for the US dollar remained at $154,000 against $100.

In local exchange shops in Baghdad, prices for selling USD remained at 155,000 Iraqi dinars per 100 dollars, while the purchasing price was steady at 153,000 dinars.

In Erbil, the exchange rate for USD increased slightly to 154,600 IQD per 100 USD for selling and 154,500 IQD per 100 USD for buying.

----

Oil prices inch up on expected US crude stock decline

Oil prices rose on Thursday after industry data indicated a decrease in U.S. crude oil inventories last week, signaling tightening supplies along with extended production cuts in Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures said that the US crude oil inventories were projected to drop by 5.5 million barrels in the week ending Sept. 1, after the market settlement.

 The U.S. Energy Information Administration will release official inventory data on Thursday at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT). 

Brent crude futures increased to $90.72 a barrel by 0019 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) futures rose to $87.65.

On Tuesday, oil prices saw a sudden rise. The reason behind this was the announcement made by Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend voluntary oil supply cuts until the end of the year. Saudi Arabia has decided to cut its oil supply by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) while Russia has cut its supply by 300,000 bpd. These cuts are in addition to the cut that was agreed upon by several OPEC+ producers in April, which will continue to run until the end of 2024.

"RV UPDATE" BY SANDY INGRAM & MILITIAMAN, 8 SEPT

Sandy Ingram 

 ...Separation, internal conflict, corruption and security issues when it comes to international investors are the major reason holding up economic stability in the country, ie the increase in the Iraq dinar value against the U.S. dollar. 

Militia Man 

 Why haven't they [Paid the salaries]?  There's got to be a reason for it and we believe it comes down to that the 23, 24, 25 budget is going to have an internationally acceptable exchange rate that's going to be on the Forex so that we all as investors can freely trade the Iraqi dinar in an international environment.  That's the whole purpose of us being here...

We have Standard & Poor giving them [Iraq] a stable outlook to an increasing positive outlook  becausethey're now exporting agricultural wares and they have non-oil revenue streams coming in at the borders.

  That's why they're beginning to look good - because of the investment environment is ripe.

Article: "Thousands of people demonstrated in Doha Governate Tuesday morning against the federal government's policy of not granting the rights of the people of the Kurdistan region and represented by the monthly salaries of employees..." ...People want their money.  You have to ask the question, 

Why have they gone from July and into September and they're being placated.  For what reason. What do they know is keeping them at bay?  ...they're not going to stand for not getting paid...

 

Iraq Dinar - Global Support Article 140 - Iraq General Budget Law 2023 -...by MILITIAMAN

COFFEE WITH MARKZ, (SPANISH), 8 SEPT

 Mark Z y Michael Cottrell Charla del viernes por la mañana 9-8-2023

Miembro: Buenos días a todos….Bienvenidos a otro fin de semana.

Miembro: Esperemos que hoy recibamos buenas noticias... las necesitamos.

Miembro: ¡Quizás este sea el fin de semana que estábamos esperando!

MZ: Hay tantos rumores por ahí. Estoy seguro de que los tableros están iluminados en este momento con anticipación... Definitivamente siento que estamos cerca. Ayer se liberó de las expectativas.

MZ: Anoche muchos pensaron que sucedería de la noche a la mañana... Realmente no pensé que estuviera listo todavía.

MZ: La gente de Bond sigue muy callada. Una pareja admitió que tienen un acuerdo de confidencialidad, lo que me hizo sentir mejor.

MZ: Seguimos escuchando fantásticas historias sobre banca personal de ustedes...

Miembro: Mark, soy uno de los principales asesores financieros de las empresas de jubilación más grandes de EE. UU. y hemos estado haciendo crecer nuestro Departamento de Patrimonio Personal muy rápidamente y creando nuevos servicios.

Miembro: MarkZ ¡Acabo de enterarme de que se están enviando avisos de SKR!

MZ: No se han pagado las SKR.

Miembro: Dijo que Rusia recortó la producción... precios más altos del petróleo = tipo de cambio más alto en el dinar

Miembro: ¡¡¡Rezando para que la moneda estadounidense esté respaldada por oro antes que RV!!!

Miembro: El viernes pasado hablé con un banquero de la SECU (unión de crédito de empleados estatales) y me dijeron que la nueva nota del tesoro estará disponible en octubre de este año.

MZ: Tantas historias bancarias suyas, de administradores de patrimonio, etc....

Miembro: Mi pequeño banco local está inactivo por mantenimiento. Esto también se aplica a la banca móvil.

MZ: “Un nuevo ferrocarril unirá por fin a Irak e Irán”. Tendrán un vínculo físico para la infraestructura y eso demuestra cuán poderosos se han vuelto los BRICS. Y se están alejando de Estados Unidos. Para que esto suceda, creo que Irak necesita tener su nueva moneda. Las exportaciones de Irán a Irak alcanzarán los 12.000 millones a finales de año. Para mí esto es un claro alejamiento del control occidental de Irak.

MZ: La última vez que Irak tuvo una gran moneda, estaba fuera del control de Estados Unidos. Este es un gran paso para Irak y su independencia.

Miembro: Irán ya ha sido aceptado en los BRICS... Apuesto a que Irak también se unirá pronto.

Miembro: ¿Nos estamos acercando a Nesara?

MZ: En mi opinión, sí... personalmente lo espero este otoño. Este no es un proceso de un día, así que cuando digo "caer"... creo que las cosas tienen que empezar ahora.

Miembro: Creo que Nesara ha estado en curso. Es un proceso largo para cambiar los sistemas.

Miembro: No hay muchos que hablen del final del año fiscal federal.

Miembro: sí, el año fiscal de EE. UU. y muchos otros termina el 31 de septiembre y el año fiscal 2024 comienza el 1 de octubre. Puede ser un buen momento para cambiar todo.

Miembro: ¿puede decirnos el proceso que probablemente tendremos que seguir cuando lo hagamos? ¿Cómo será su procesamiento? ¿Qué tenemos que hacer en cuanto a las huellas dactilares y todo este tipo de cosas?

Miembro: Mark siempre ha dicho que debería ser lo mismo que abrir una nueva cuenta bancaria... no hay nada de qué preocuparse.

Miembro: ¿Cuánto tiempo tendremos para cambiar nuestra moneda una vez que se liberen los números 800?

Miembro: Mark siempre decía unos 10 días para concertar nuestras citas y 30 días para intercambiar... más o menos.

Miembro: Recuerdo el año pasado en esta época, pensé que estábamos casi allí y aquí todos seguimos aquí.

Miembro: Yo también recuerdo eso. Siguen pasando los días, semanas, meses y años. un día pronto llegaremos allí

Miembro: Por favor, que este fin de semana sea la gota que colme el vaso, jajaja.

Miembro: Dije que sucedería hace 9-11 semanas, ¡veamos!

MZ: Por alguna razón mi instinto dice lo mismo…..

Miembro: Tiene sentido, Mark, originalmente se suponía que se lanzaría el 11 de septiembre.

Miembro: Eso sería un equilibrio kármico asombroso si fuera cierto.

Miembro: Voto por el "11". SÍ ! Vayamos en autocaravana el día 11... ¡¡¡Por favor!!!!!!!!!!!

Miembro: Para mí tiene sentido que activen el cambio de tipos cuando Forex esté cerrado (viernes a las 5 p. m. EST - domingo a las 5 p. m. EST) para darle al mundo la oportunidad de prepararse. ¡Pero sólo estoy adivinando!

Najaf MP calls for investigation into dollar manipulation at Mosul Bank branch in Najaf Airport, 8 SEPT

 Najaf MP calls for investigation into dollar manipulation at Mosul Bank branch in Najaf Airport, 8 SEPT

Shafaq News / The MP for Najaf governorate, Ahmed Majid, called on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani on Thursday to intervene and stop the manipulation and embezzlement of dollars at the Mosul Investment and Development Bank branch at Najaf Airport.

Majid told Shafaq News Agency that "the Integrity Commission (CoI) revealed that the Mosul Investment and Development Bank, Najaf Airport branch, transferred the airport's balance from dollars to dinars at the official rate and closed its current account despite the need for dollars."

He added that "the Mosul Investment and Development Bank is considered an economic party and has caused the waste of public money estimated at 1.14 billion dinars due to converting revenues from dollars to dinars and disbursing money at the official rate."

Majid emphasized that he has submitted a request to PM Al Sudani to "open a high-level investigation into the embezzlement of funds and dismiss the director of Najaf Airport due to the airport's management's complicity with the bank's management."

Earlier, CoI announced that it had seized all documents related to violations committed by the Mosul Investment and Development Bank at Najaf Airport, which resulted in the loss of more than one billion dinars. It pointed out that this was due to the airport management's failure to take legal action against the bank, which allowed the bank to exploit and benefit from these violations.

No comment has been obtained from the bank or Najaf Airport regarding this information.

https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Najaf-MP-calls-for-investigation-into-dollar-manipulation-at-Mosul-Bank-branch-in-Najaf-Airport

Should Investors Diversify with Hedge Fund Style ETFs?

Iranian official thanks Iraq, KRI for services rendered during Arbaeen, 8 SEPT

 Iranian official thanks Iraq, KRI for services rendered during Arbaeen, 8 SEPT

Shafaq News / Hojatoleslam Mohammad Hasan Abu Turabi Fard, the temporary Friday prayer leader in Tehran, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Iraq, both its government and its people, including the Kurdistan Region, for their unwavering dedication in providing services to the millions of pilgrims who participated in the Arbaeen Pilgrimage.

During his Friday sermon, Hojatoleslam Abu Turabi Fard declared, "The presence of over 4 million Iranian pilgrims in this epic has engendered yet another epic."

He further acknowledged, "The pivotal role played by the esteemed Iraqi government and the great Iraqi people in facilitating this extraordinary turnout is undeniable. Men, women, and youth, their pure hearts pulsating with zeal, have come together to honor the revered master, Imam Hussein, peace be upon him."

Hojatoleslam Abu Turabi Fard continued, "We extend our gratitude to the noble youth from various backgrounds, the popular and jihadist processions, within the Islamic Republic of Iran, and especially to the people of Kurdistan in Iraq, who enriched this grand humanitarian and emotional movement with their efforts and hearts filled with love for the Lord of Martyrs."

He went on to say, "The meticulous planning, worthy of praise by the statesmen of Iran and Iraq, alongside the military and security institutions, played an admirable role in this epic and is deserving of glory and acclaim."

Last month, a source in the office of Iraq's Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, disclosed the Kurdistan Regional Government's participation by sending 100 modern buses as part of the government's plan to transport and accommodate pilgrims during Arbaeen.

The source stated to Shafaq News Agency, "The Prime Minister's office proposed the participation of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the transportation plan, and the proposal received support and cooperation from the President of the Region, Nechirvan Barzani."

The source clarified, "this year's transportation plan differs from previous years," highlighting that "the directives from al-Sudani entail the rental of approximately 1200 large buses, in addition to 200 smaller buses, to complement the existing fleet of over 2000 government buses and vehicles. Twenty-three trains will also be operated to prevent extortion and exploitation of pilgrims during their transportation to and from Karbala."

The Holy Shrines in Iraq reported last week that the total number of visitors who flocked to the holy city of Karbala for the observance of Imam Hussein's Arbaeen exceeded 22 million pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society announced that it had provided services to more than 3 million Iraqi and foreign visitors during the Arbaeen ceremonies.

The Commander-in-Chief of Iran's internal security forces, stated two days ago that four million Iranian pilgrims had crossed into Iraq through the land and air borders of Iran to participate in the Arbaeen visit.

Prime Minister al-Sudani praised the Kurdistan Region's support for the Arbaeen observance, describing the number of participants as "unprecedented," with pilgrims exceeding 22 million.

https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Iranian-official-thanks-Iraq-KRI-for-services-rendered-during-Arbaeen

"RV UPDATE" BY MARKZ, 8 SEPT

MarkZ   

[via PDK]  From Iraq...A chief strategist of the AFC Iraq fund is talking about how “Banks will fuel the next market phase of Iraq” they have made exceptional progress. Top tier banks have a lot of funding and money and this is where the future is going to explode for Iraq…and they are now ready to start funding entrepreneurs, projects etc…. 

This is a great piece that shows us where Iraq is heading...We were told the banking implementation is key for them to be able to change their value. It also brings financial security. 

 Question:   If IQD and VND have agreements…will they not float up together?   MarkZ:   I do not expect a float. But, I am prepared in case there is one.  I expect a substantial change in value …then maybe a small float. 

 ..we are starting to see changes in bank values etc. But, not an open trade on them yet...We have seen this in the past and it’s our theory that they are preparing the process when we see those rate changes. Is this the one where they actually pull the trigger???...

The banker side has a lot of anticipation for late this afternoon...We have bank personnel keeping us abreast if any of these currencies become “tradable”...We will see what materializes.  [post 2 of 2]

There are interesting things showing on currency converters…from the Forbes one to the EIX…. There are some interesting values showing on many of our currencies... 

There are a lot of “inconsistencies” on currency calculators right now. We are seeing Bolivar made it up to .35 cents. (doesn’t mean you can exchange it right now) We tried... Dong rates have also been bouncing around... 

Investing in International Stocks, 8 SEPT

 Whether you’re looking to strengthen your portfolio through diversification or create new avenues to explosive growth, international stocks can be an excellent component of your investment portfolio.

Expanding international economies, increasing productivity, and improving standards of living are creating a new global middle class. These trends suggest that the world’s most dramatic economic growth over the next century will occur outside the United States. Many investors should strongly consider allocating a percentage of their portfolio to stocks in international markets.

Image source: The Motley Fool

Five top international stocks in 2023

1. ASML Holding

Headquartered in the Netherlands, ASML Holding (ASML -1.43%) is one of the world’s leading providers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Beyond powering computers and mobile devices and providing the hardware foundations for big leaps forward in artificial intelligence, semiconductors are now essential components for automobiles, appliances, and a wide range of other everyday products and services.

Access to chip supplies is also a major national security issue for countries around the world. As a result, there's a big push for localized chip production in the U.S., Europe, and other major markets. ASML is set to play a big role in expanding global manufacturing capacity.

2. CD Projekt

Based in Poland, CD Projekt (OTGL.Y 3.68%) has established itself as a strong player in the video game industry. The company is best known for properties including The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, but it also operates an online marketplace and sharing platform for digitally distributing games.

Demand for interactive entertainment is still poised for huge growth over the long term. CD Projekt has compelling opportunities as it releases content expansions for existing titles, launches new properties, and taps into emerging trends, including augmented reality and the metaverse.

3. MercadoLibre

MercadoLibre (MELI -0.04%) is a leading provider of e-commerce and fintech services in Latin America. The company was founded in Argentina and is still growing quickly there, but it actually does most of its business in Brazil and also generates a major portion of its revenue in Mexico. MercadoLibre has continued to increase sales at a rapid clip despite macroeconomic headwinds, and it's actually making a big hiring push at a time when many other businesses are reducing their employee counts. MercadoLibre’s forefront positions in online retail and fintech point to huge expansion potential as these services become more popular in Latin America.

4. Shoprite Holdings

The United Nations predicts Africa will account for more than half of global population growth through 2050, and Shoprite Holdings’ (SRGH.Y 8.86%) status as the continent’s largest grocery chain positions it to benefit from economic and demographic tailwinds. The company is headquartered in South Africa and operates roughly 3,150 locations across 14 countries.

5. HDFC Bank

India's largest private sector lender, HDFC Bank (HDB 2.16%), is in a favorable position to benefit as the country’s economy continues to develop. The company has more than 7,800 branches across more than 3,800 cities and towns. HDFC is also a player in the digital payments space and appears poised to benefit from “the war on cash.”

Should I invest in international stocks and funds?

Foreign markets present opportunities that you miss if your holdings are strictly limited to U.S.-based stocks. While foreign companies sometimes come with added risks, international companies tend to be cheaply valued relative to comparable businesses in the U.S.

Many investors prefer to pay more for domestic stocks because business growth in international markets is considered less reliable than growth in the U.S. Another big factor is that most investors simply aren’t as familiar with opportunities in international markets because they have limited personal experience with foreign companies -- and because these businesses tend to receive less coverage from U.S. analysts and media outlets.

But with the vast majority of global population growth in the coming decades projected to occur outside of the U.S., the associated demographic factors and the industrialization of relatively underdeveloped areas suggest that this century’s biggest economic growth will also happen outside the country.

As the world’s largest economy, the U.S. economy is likely to grow more slowly than countries with smaller, less-developed economies. While the U.S. has a population of roughly 330 million, India and China each have populations of roughly 1.4 billion people, and rising per-capita productivity could allow the economies of both of those countries to surpass the value of the U.S. economy by 2030.

Even countries such as Poland, which is home to roughly 41 million people and has actually seen its population shrink in recent years, could expand its gross domestic product (GDP) at rates that significantly exceed the growth rate of GDP in the U.S. Poland is benefiting from industrialization initiatives and a fast-growing tech sector that are boosting most Polish companies.

Of course, domestic companies are working to expand their presence in international markets and should profit from global growth. Investing in foreign stocks is a way to have a direct stake in growth outside the U.S. and to benefit from a broader range of market trends and opportunities.

How can I trade foreign stocks in the U.S.?

As an American, you can gain portfolio exposure to international stocks in a few different ways.

Invest in internationally focused funds

The easiest (and perhaps safest) way for you to invest in foreign stocks is by investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that include non-domestic companies.

Buying shares of a fund such as the Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK 0.24%) gives you a position in more than 1,300 companies on the continent, while the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM 0.19%) confers exposure to more than 1,200 large and mid-size companies from countries such as China, India, Brazil, South Korea, and South Africa. Alternatively, the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF  (SOXX -0.42%) mostly consists of U.S. companies, but Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM -0.39%) stock is one of its biggest components. The fund also includes foreign chipmakers ASML Holding and NXP Semiconductors(NXPI -0.49%), among others.

Buy American depositary receipts

Some foreign companies list their stocks on U.S. exchanges in addition to their home markets, in which case you can simply purchase shares on the Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) through domestic brokerages, just as you would for a U.S.-based company. These shares will usually be in the form of American depositary receipts (ADRs) and represent equity stakes equivalent to a predesignated number of shares of the company’s core stock on its home exchange. For example, an ADR share of the Chinese video streaming company iQiyi (IQ -3.57%) trading on the Nasdaq is roughly equivalent to seven ordinary shares on the Chinese exchange.

You may also have the opportunity to buy ADR stakes in companies that don’t trade on U.S. exchanges through over-the-counter (OTC) markets accessible through your broker. But be aware that ADRs may not offer privileges such as voting rights conferred by owning a company’s home-market shares, so you may need to be willing to forgo the prospect of voting as a shareholder to acquire stakes in promising international companies.

Gain direct international access through a broker

The other main way to invest in foreign stocks is by using a brokerage to obtain direct access to the exchange where the company is listed. A global account with a participating U.S. brokerage is suitable, or you can establish a brokerage account in the country where you intend to trade.

Opening a global account or foreign brokerage account may cause you to incur fees and taxes and face additional regulations much more than you’d expect from a U.S. equity market. Also, your investment is not protected by domestic securities laws, and you could face difficulty achieving restitution through a foreign court.

https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/types-of-stocks/international-stocks/