IRAQ, WORLD BANK DISCUSS ENHANCING FINANCIAL COOPERATION
Finance Minister Taif Sami stressed the importance of the ongoing partnership with the World Bank, and Iraq’s aspiration to benefit from the technical and financial support provided by the bank in implementing strategic projects to stimulate economic growth and provide job opportunities, especially in areas including infrastructure and human development. This came during her reception of the World Bank Representative to Iraq, Jean-Christophe Carret, and his accompanying delegation.
The meeting discussed ways to enhance economic and financial cooperation between Iraq and the World Bank. It reviewed a number of key topics related to enhancing financial stability in Iraq, in addition to discussing development projects that the two parties seek to implement with the aim of achieving sustainable development.
For his part, the World Bank representative expressed the bank’s commitment to continue supporting Iraq in achieving its development goals, noting that the World Bank pays great attention to enhancing Iraq’s ability to face economic and development challenges, with a focus on sustainable development and achieving comprehensiveness in the benefits achieved.
Awake-in-3D: Banking Crisis Warning, What Global Banks aren’t Telling you
Banking Crisis Warning: What Global Banks Aren’t Telling You
Awake-In-3D March 12, 2025
Global banks are pulling back, signaling trouble ahead—here’s what they don’t want you to know.
The global financial system is sending a quiet but urgent warning—one that most people are overlooking. Banks are supposed to fuel economic growth by lending, but right now, they’re doing the opposite. Instead of putting money into businesses and households, they’re stockpiling government bonds at an alarming rate. This shift isn’t random—it’s a calculated move that signals caution, not confidence. In times of financial uncertainty, banks act as early warning indicators. Their recent actions suggest a brewing banking crisis, one that could have far-reaching consequences for investors and policymakers alike.
A Sudden Shift in Strategy
European banks recently embarked on an extraordinary bond-buying spree—the third largest on record. The last time we saw such a move was in April 2020, at the height of global economic panic during the pandemic. This sudden shift raises serious questions, particularly given one alarming detail: despite their enthusiasm for purchasing government bonds, these banks show remarkable reluctance to lend money to businesses and households.
Central Banks Are Losing Control
Central
banks globally are aggressively cutting interest rates, publicly framing these measures as economic stimulus to spur borrowing, investment, and growth. Yet banks—the very institutions responsible for channeling money into the economy—are not responding as expected. Instead, they’re retreating, opting for safety over opportunity.
Why Banks Are Tightening Credit
Why are banks tightening credit instead of lending? Historically, when banks increase their holdings of government bonds, it’s a clear signal of caution. They perceive greater risk ahead and choose safety over profit. This behavior isn’t isolated to Europe:
China recently had to intervene with a bank bailout.
U.S. banks are tightening their credit standards.
Financial institutions worldwide are adopting defensive postures rather than aggressive lending strategies.
The Banking Crisis and Economic Warning Signs
The critical takeaway here is that low interest rates, often touted as a sign of a strengthening economy, often signal deeper underlying issues. Banks, well-positioned to detect early signs of economic trouble, indicate apprehension rather than optimism
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This trend warrants serious consideration. When banks collectively adopt defensive strategies, it often foreshadows broader economic challenges on the horizon. Investors and policymakers would do well to heed this signal and prepare accordingly.
How Investors Can Protect Themselves
So, what do savvy investors do in times like these? They shift their focus from volatile fiat currencies and unstable economic policies toward more reliable stores of value—most notably, hard assets like gold. History repeatedly demonstrates that during uncertain times, tangible assets offer a crucial hedge against financial turbulence.
The Bottom Line: Banking Crisis Signals Caution
In short, the current behavior of global banks is a quiet yet powerful indicator that caution, preparedness, and prudent investing strategies are more important now than ever.
RAMADAN REVIVES THE IRAQI DINAR AND OFFICIAL EXPECTATIONS OF A CONTINUED DECLINE IN THE DOLLAR
The exchange rate of the US dollar in the parallel market in Iraq declined significantly during the first and second weeks of Ramadan, recording 1,480 dinars per dollar, or less than that, from 1,520 dinars before the beginning of the month.
The decline is due to several factors, most notably the strict measures taken by the Central Bank of Iraq to control imports and electronic money transfers, in addition to the decline in economic activities of the Iraqi citizen during the month of Ramadan.
“strict measures”
Government advisor Alaa Al-Fahd says the decline in the dollar price in the parallel market is due to the Central Bank’s implementation of strict measures aimed at controlling imports and electronic money transfers.
He added that this measure reflects the success of the Central Bank’s monetarypolicy, as Iraqi banks have begun to implement correspondence operations with international banks with which they have commercial relations. He added that diversifying the currency basket contributed significantly to easing pressure on the dollar, and that most imports of consumer and food goods are financed through the official platform of the Central Bank and at the official price, stressing that any trading outside this framework is considered unofficial dealing.
Al-Fahd praised the Central Bank’s announcement of implementing digital transactions and encouraging tourism, stressing that these steps contributed to easing pressure on the parallel market for exchange rates.
Al-Fahd expected the market to remain stable, especially with most of the needs of Ramadan and the Eid season being covered through the official platform and at the official price, noting that expectations indicate a continued decline in the dollar price in the coming period.
The exchange rate of the dollar against the dinar increased significantly in the last week before Ramadan, recording 1,520 dinars per dollar for sale and 1,510 dinars for purchase in the main stock exchanges, but in the first week of Ramadan, the exchange rate recorded a significant decrease,
reaching 1,465 dinars per dollar for sale and 1,475 dinars per dollar for purchase in the main stock exchanges in Baghdad, Erbil and Basra.
In the second week of Ramadan, the exchange rate rose slightly, recording 1,485 dinars per dollar for sale and 1,480 dinars per dollar for purchase, with a variation up or down not exceeding two and a half dollars.
The exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the dollar is affected by several main factors, including:
-Daily sales volume in currency auction
-Central Bank procedures related to external transfers
-The need of traders to import goods, especially from countries subject to US sanctions, which increases the demand for the dollar in the parallel market.
-Smuggling the Iraqi dinar to other countries to benefit from price differences.
“Ramadan is a game changer”
For his part, economic expert Ahmed Al-Ansari believes that the decline in demand for the dollar during the month of Ramadan is mainly due to the decline in economic activities of the Iraqi citizen, which is evident in the decline in the movement of real estate, cars and basic services.
Al-Ansari explained that the weak purchasing power of citizens also contributed to reducing the volume of imports, which led to a reduction in demand for the dollar in the parallel market.
He added that the Central Bank’s measures aimed at reducing imports through the black market and encouraging traders and importers
to import through approved banks and convert the dollar at the official price were an additional reason for this temporary decline.
Al-Ansari expected a strong recovery in the markets after Ramadan and by Eid al-Fitr, which could lead to a slight increase in the dollar price or a return to its previous level, stressing that the dollar price is greatly affected by the strength of supply and demand in the market, as it rises whenever demand for it increases in the parallel market.
He pointed out that the continuation of the facilities provided by the Central Bank, such as providing travelers’ dollars, will encourage citizens to deal at the official price and avoid exchange offices and banks that sell dollars at higher prices.
On February 7, 2023, the Council of Ministers approved the decision of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Iraq to amend the exchange rate of the dollar against the dinar, equivalent to 1,300 dinars per dollar, obligating banks to sell at a rate of 1,310 dinars per dollar and at a rate of 1,320 dinars per dollar for currency transfer operations when using electronic cards while traveling or online, with a ceiling of 3,000 dollars at the official rate granted to each traveler who presents a visa and a travel ticket with his official passport.
Kurdistan Region Confirms Oil Sales Through SOMO: We Will Give Our Money To Baghdad
Iraqi oil refinery energy Economy News – Baghdad The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday affirmed the region's firm position to implement an amendment to the budget law, allowing the region's oil to be exported and sold through SOMO, with the proceeds returned to the federal Ministry of Finance.
A statement issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government's Council of Ministers, seen by Al-Eqtisad News, said, "The President of the Council, Masrour Barzani, held a meeting attended by his deputy, Qubad Talabani, during which the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Finance and Economy to prepare a schedule for distributing salaries to Kurdistan Region employees for the month of February, after the deposit of 958 billion dinars into the ministry's account for that month.
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The Council decided to begin distributing salaries starting tomorrow. All ministries and institutions were also tasked with preparing March payrolls as soon as possible and sending them to the Federal Ministry of Finance, with the goal of disbursing them before the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The statement confirmed that "in the first part of the meeting, Kamal Mohamed Saleh, Acting Minister of Natural Resources, reviewed the latest developments in the joint meetings between the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Federal Ministry of Oil, in the presence of representatives of oil companies."
The minister explained the efforts being made to resume the region's oil exports within the framework of the federal budget law. The Council of Ministers commended the Ministry of Natural Resources' efforts to accelerate the process of resuming oil exports and its joint work with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to resolve the obstacles related to the process.
The Council also affirmed the "regional government's firm position to implement the amendment to the budget law so that the region's oil is exported and sold through SOMO and its revenues are returned to the federal Ministry of Finance." https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=53348
