2025.. The year of cautious optimism in Iraq, 23 DEC

   2025.. The year of cautious optimism in Iraq

The international economics specialist, Nawar Al-Saadi, revealed, on Saturday, the future financial and economic expectations for Iraq at the beginning of the new year 2025 .

Al-Saadi told Shafaq News Agency, "The future economic and financial expectations for Iraq at the beginning of the new year carry a mixture of optimism and caution, as they depend largely on a set of economic, political and regional factors that directly affect the country's financial and economic stability ."

He added that "international estimates indicate an improvement in Iraq's economic growth rates, according to reports from the International Monetary Fund, which expected the Iraqi economy to grow by 1.4% next year, with an expected increase of 5.3% in 2025. This growth reflects the recovery of the economy after the challenges it faced in the past years, especially after the economic contraction of 2.2% in 2022, and economic growth will be mainly driven by the stability of oil prices and increased investments in non-oil sectors ."

Al-Saadi pointed out that “there are fears of a deterioration in the financial situation due to the expected deficit in the state’s general budget, as the deficit is expected to widen to 7.6% of GDP during the coming year, compared to 1.3% this year.

This deficit is attributed to fluctuations in oil prices, which are the main source of government revenues, and the economic situation is further complicated by the heavy dependence on oil, which constitutes about 90% of Iraq’s revenues. Any decline in its global prices could lead to severe financial pressures on the government .”

“Other challenges relate to inflation rates, which are expected to rise slightly to 3.5% in 2025. This rise reflects the effects of financial pressures and internal economic challenges, including higher prices for goods and services as a result of increased production and import costs. In terms of oil production, Iraq is expected to continue to maintain a high level of production, with plans to boost its production capacity to around 4 million barrels per day by the first quarter of 2025. However, the success of these efforts will remain linked to political stability and relations with OPEC, in addition to achieving long-term investments in energy infrastructure, ” he added.

Al-Saadi continued: “With regard to the banking sector, the government seeks to implement structural reforms to improve the efficiency of the banking system and increase transparency. These reforms come within a larger vision to develop the Iraqi economy and diversify sources of income away from excessive dependence on oil .”

The international economics expert concluded his speech by referring to all the aforementioned data, saying that “Iraq may be facing hot economic and financial events at the beginning of the new year, and the main challenge lies in the government’s ability to manage these challenges effectively through balanced financial and economic policies that aim to enhance economic stability and diversify the economy to achieve sustainable growth  link

TIDBITS FROM THE BIG CALL , 23 DEC

 Thurs. 19 Dec. 2024 Bruce, The Big Call

 Redemption Center Staff are scheduled to work all day Mon and Tues until noon.

 They have Christmas off and go back to work the day after Christmas.  In the first ten days of Jan. 2025 R&R, increase of SS, NESARA, GESARA kicks in. We could be notified overnight tonight or Friday morning 20 Dec.

YADA: " THE AMENDMENT FRO THE RATE CHANGES WAS DONE LAST WEEKEND" @DINARREVALUATION #iraqidinar

 

Al-Sudani: Iraq has regained its leading role in the region and has become an influential and effective country, 23 DEC

 Al-Sudani: Iraq has regained its leading role in the region and has become an influential and effective country

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed today, Sunday, that Iraq has regained its leading role in the region and has become an influential and effective country in its surroundings.

Al-Sudani's office stated in a statement received by "Mil" that "Al-Sudani met in the city of Mosul, today, Sunday, with a group of tribal sheikhs and representatives of the various components and spectrums in Nineveh Governorate . "

Al-Sudani stressed his keenness to "meet the sheikhs, dignitaries, religious men and elite of the province's people," indicating that "his visit to Nineveh comes within the government's work methodology to follow up on the affairs of citizens in the various provinces, lay the foundation stone for a number of projects, follow up on work at Mosul International Airport, and set the tenth of next June as the date for its opening . "

The statement continued, "All the projects that were launched today in Nineveh were destroyed by terrorism, and in the days of celebrating Victory Day over the terrorist gangs, we are rebuilding the ruins of the dark era of ISIS and working to launch new projects . "

Al-Sudani confirmed that "a series of infrastructure projects will be launched in the governorate within 30 days, and the second phase of the ring road project will begin to alleviate traffic congestion in the city," stressing that "the wheel of construction and reconstruction in the governorate continues with the solidarity of its people."

The statement explained that "the true image of the Iraqi people triumphed over what terrorism wanted in targeting security and peaceful coexistence among all components and sects," explaining that "the strife of terrorism and the foreign agenda harmed society in Nineveh, and tried to drive a wedge of division among Iraqis."

He pointed out that "Iraq today is on the right track in building a state that respects the citizen, adheres to the constitution, and builds its institutions in a way that meets the aspirations of the citizens," stressing that "Iraq has regained its leading role in the region and has become an influential and effective country in its surroundings . "

The statement pointed out that "Iraq today is putting forward initiatives, solutions and positions that are consistent with the challenges in the region . "

The statement concluded: "We took the initiative to make contacts and visits with sister countries, and launched an initiative to establish security in Syria. We presented an Iraqi paper at the Aqaba Conference in Jordan regarding Syria, and it was welcomed by all brothers . "link

WOLVERINE UPDATE, 23 DEC

 Sun. 22 Dec. 2024 Wolverine

 “I just received news from Mauricio saying that the blessing is coming very soon. 

Remember that’s from his platform which purely humanitarian Nesara Gesara.

 I still have faith that we are going to have a Merry Merry Christmas. There are five platforms which are sending out monies. It’s going to be a wonderful Christmas.”

MAJEED: No more Dollar coming to Iraq The CBI has two options : BANKRUPTCY OR CHANGE THE RATE OF IQD

 

The Road ahead for Iraq’s underdeveloped Stock Market, 23 DEC

The Road ahead for Iraq’s underdeveloped Stock Market

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s stock market considered a vital pillar for channeling savings into investments, remains underdeveloped and overshadowed by regional counterparts.

 Authorities are striving to revitalize the market to attract investors and promote economic diversification, however, challenges such as political instability, limited industrial and agricultural sectors, and bureaucratic hurdles continue to impede progress.

Market Overview

The Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) was established in 1992 as the Baghdad Stock Exchange under Law No. 24 of 1991. It was later renamed in 2003, listing 113 private and mixed companies at its inception. However, despite its long history, the ISX lags behind neighboring markets in trading volume and overall activity.

Foreign investors remain hesitant, citing Iraq’s political and economic instability, as well as complex administrative and legal procedures for opening accounts and transferring profits. These barriers contribute to the market’s small size and limited appeal.

Economic Challenges and Market Dynamics

Muzher Mohammed Saleh, financial advisor to Iraq’s prime minister, highlighted the structural issues plaguing Iraq’s economy. “The country inherited a mono-reliant economy heavily dependent on oil revenues, exacerbated by decades of war, sanctions, and economic isolation,” Saleh told Shafaq News.

“Unfortunately, the industrial and agricultural sectors, which are essential for diversifying the stock market, are significantly weak.”

These two sectors collectively contribute only 6–7% of Iraq’s GDP, according to Saleh, with most activities being individual rather than corporate. He revealed that the stock market’s underdevelopment mirrors the broader structure of Iraq’s economy, where banking institutions dominate due to the liberalized, oil-dependent economy.

Notably, over 50% of ISX’s activity stems from banking institutions.

“The government’s new economic strategy focuses on fostering a production-oriented partnership between the public and private sectors to enhance economic diversification,” Saleh added. He noted that the success of the stock market hinges on achieving broader economic diversity and strengthening foundational sectors like industry and agriculture.

Market Constraints

While regional markets in the Gulf and North Africa have modernized rapidly, Iraq’s stock market has struggled to keep pace. Broker Mohammed Madloul pointed out that neighboring markets like Egypt and the UAE provide 24-hour stock price tickers in public spaces, allowing citizens to trade shares outside traditional hours. By contrast, trading in Iraq is restricted to specific hours, limiting transaction opportunities.

“In Iraq, the market’s size and activity are constrained,” Madloul said. “Many stocks trade at values below one Iraqi dinar, reflecting the limited scope of investments.” However, he acknowledged some progress in the banking sector, noting that the market capitalization of listed companies grew from 6.88 trillion dinars (about $5.2 billion) in 2021 to 10 trillion dinars in 2024 (about $7.6 billion.)

“This growth highlights a potential for expansion, albeit focused heavily on the banking sector.”

Weak Private Sector

Economic expert Durgham Mohammed Ali attributed the ISX’s small size to the lack of large companies and a strong private sector in Iraq. “The market reflects the weak state of Iraq’s developmental sectors and the public’s lack of trust in it,” Ali told Shafaq News. “The ISX remains technically underdeveloped compared to Gulf markets.”

Ali criticized the lack of efficient investment portfolio management and regulatory constraints imposed by the ISX’s oversight body. “These restrictions limit the operations of brokerage firms and discourage robust investment activities,” he said. “The performance of the market is directly tied to the efficiency of listed companies, which remain weak.”

Modernization Efforts

Despite these challenges, efforts are underway to modernize Iraq’s stock market. Taha Ahmed Abdul-Salam, ISX’s executive director, stressed the importance of stability and long-term corporate vision for attracting investors.

“The number of listed companies has increased from 105 to 107, and we are working to add more,” Abdul-Salam told Shafaq News. “This expansion is essential for attracting new investors.”

Abdul-Salam revealed that the ISX has signed an agreement with the Egyptian Exchange to implement a new Order Management System (OMS), enabling investors to trade via smart devices. “We expect to launch this system by June or July next year,” he said. This modernization is seen as a critical step toward making the market more accessible and competitive with regional counterparts.