Baghdad Financial expert, Aqbal Jabr Al-Muhammadawi, explained today, Wednesday, the reasons for the expectations that confirm the decline in oil prices in the coming months to $60, while he touched on Iraq’s position.

Al-Muhammadawi said in an interview with Al-Eqtisad News, “The return of the oil price fluctuations crisis in global markets with the importance of expectations and predictions regarding the expected decline in oil prices in the coming months according to the Citigroup Bank memorandum to $60 per barrel based on intellectual foundations and experiences in diagnosis, analysis, forming scenarios, estimates of building oil prices and studying the market.”

He added: “It is clear that the atypical changes in geopolitical variables and other external factors affecting oil prices are being ignored, as well as the repercussions of market dynamics that keep pace with global, objective and realistic changes and developments.”

He continued: “One of its most important results is obstructing Iraq’s path following in the footsteps of Venezuela, Ecuador and others, due to reasons of vigilance, shock, and the return of realistic awareness and sound systematic thinking to form economic and financial decisions according to realistic and objective economic methodological foundations.”

Minister Of Transport Discusses With The International Maritime Organization Returning Iraq To The White List

Money and business  Economy News – Baghdad  On Wednesday, Minister of Transport Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi discussed with the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, in London, the procedures for returning Iraq to the International Maritime Organization’s white list.

The Ministry of Transport said in a statement, seen by “Al-Eqtisad News”, that “Minister of Transport Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi, accompanied by MP Zahra Al-Bajari, Head of the Parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee, Chairman of the Iraqi Maritime Authority Abdul-Azim Ghafil, Director General of Ports Farhan Al-Fartousi, Director General of Maritime Transport Ahmed Jassim Al-Asadi, Maritime Attaché at the Iraqi Embassy and Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization Mazen Al-Kaabi, visited the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in London to discuss ways to enhance and develop joint cooperation between the two sides.

” The statement added, “The Minister of Transport met with the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez to discuss procedures for returning Iraq to the IMO’s white list.”

He continued, “Al-Saadawi reviewed the advanced stages that Iraq has reached in implementing international requirements in the field of protecting ships and the lives of workers in the maritime sector, and working towards a blue environment,” expressing his hope that “cooperation between the organization and the Iraqi Maritime Authority will be in a broader field through exchanging visits to specialized workshops, to proceed with implementing all international requirements.”

The Minister of Transport extended an invitation to the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization to visit Iraq and see the Iraqi maritime sector, while Dominguez appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Transport to re-include Iraq in the white list of member states of the International Maritime Organization, stressing, “to respond to the invitation to visit Iraq, early next year.”

Rafidain Bank Announces The Collection Of More Than 3 Trillion Dinars Through Electronic Collection Transactions From State Departments And Institutions Within 9 Months

 Rafidain Bank announced the total amounts of financial settlements related to electronic collection movements from state departments and institutions that have activated electronic collection and switched to electronic transactions and collected bills and fees from beneficiaries electronically via bank cards and POS devices.

The bank stated in a statement that more than 3 trillion dinars is the value of the amounts collected during the first nine months of this year, indicating that this achievement represents the great interaction using electronic payment in financial transactions and ensuring the preservation of money movement paths and making them in a safe and transparent environment. / End9

The Central Bank Of Iraq Decides To Close The Babylon Bank

According to a document issued by the Central Bank of Iraq, addressed to the Babylon Bank, and received by “Al-Eqtisad News”, it decided to “refer the bank to forced liquidation based on the provisions of Article No. 69 of Banking Law No. 94 of 2004. He added: “Appointing Ahmed Abdul Mahdi Nehme as liquidator of your bank.”

Iraq Ranks Eighth Among The Largest Importers Of American Rice

While the United States of America represents less than 2% of global rice production, it ships nearly 5% of global exports, and is currently the fifth largest exporter. Therefore, exports are important for the rice industry in the United States, as about 45% of the crop is exported each year.

According to the US Department of Commerce, “Iraq ranked eighth in the largest importer of American rice for the year 2023.”

The ministry stated in a table that “the countries importing American rice for the year 2023, Mexico came in first place as the largest importer of American rice with 638.1 thousand tons, followed by Central America in second place with 633.3 thousand tons, followed by Haiti in third place with 421 thousand tons, Japan comes in fourth with 293 thousand tons, and Canada comes in fifth with 250.7 thousand tons.”

She added, “Colombia came in sixth place with 136 thousand tons, South Korea came in seventh place with 132 thousand tons, Iraq came in eighth place with 111.3 thousand tons, Saudi Arabia came in ninth place with 109.6 thousand tons, Venezuela came in tenth place with 82.4 thousand tons, Jordan came in eleventh place with 64.8 thousand tons, Taiwan came in twelfth place with 56.1 thousand tons, the Dominican Republic came in thirteenth place with 25.9 thousand tons, and the United Kingdom came in fourteenth place with 24.9 thousand tons.”

Parliamentary Opinion: Iraq Is Experiencing Stable Economic Conditions With A Financial Surplus

 Baghdad  The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed that Iraq’s financial and economic situation is good, and that revenues exceed the fears resulting from the possibility of a global decline in oil prices.

Member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Jamal Kocher, stated in a statement that “oil prices have not fallen to worrying levels, and therefore we are now in a stable economic situation with a financial surplus, and therefore we cannot talk about a crisis unless oil prices fall to less than $70.”

He stressed that “Iraq has gone through many economic and oil crises in the past, but the financial situation has remained stable and there is no fear of a current crisis.”

Oil Prices Stabilize, Brent Hits $75 A Barrel

  Oil prices steadied on Wednesday after rising in the previous session as excitement over economic stimulus in China, the world’s biggest crude importer, faded, but an industry report showing a drop in U.S. crude and fuel inventories supported the market. Brent crude futures were up 3 cents at $75.20 a barrel by 00:04 GMT,

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude lost 2 cents to $71.58 a barrel. Prices rose about 1.7% on Tuesday after China announced its strongest economic stimulus since the COVID-19 pandemic, with interest rate cuts and government funding. But analysts warned that more fiscal aid was needed to boost confidence in the world’s second-largest economy, blunting the initial impact on oil prices from the announcement.

U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.34 million barrels last week, while gasoline stocks fell by 3.44 million barrels and distillate inventories fell by 1.12 million barrels, according to market sources, citing figures from the American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday.