Dollar Inches Up In Baghdad, Erbil
2026-11-12 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil The US dollar opened Thursday’s trading higher in Baghdad and Erbil, hovering around 169,100 dinars per 100 dollars.
According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad’s Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 169,150 dinars per 100 dollars, up from the previous session’s 168,900 dinars.
In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 169,500 dinars and bought it at 168,500 dinars, while in Erbil, selling prices stood at 169,150 dinars and buying prices at 169,050 dinars.
Gold Prices Slide In Baghdad And Erbil
2026-11-12 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil Gold prices edged lower in Baghdad and Erbil on Thursday, hovering around 950,000 IQD per mithqal, according to a Shafaq News survey.
On Baghdad’s Al-Nahr Street, 21-carat Gulf, Turkish, and European gold sold for 940,000 IQD per mithqal (five grams), with a buying price of 936,000 IQD, compared with Wednesday’s 960,000 IQD.
The selling price for 21-carat Iraqi gold stood at 910,000 IQD, while the buying price reached 906,000 IQD.
In jewelry stores, the selling price per mithqal of 21-carat Gulf gold ranged between 940,000 and 950,000 IQD, while Iraqi gold sold for between 910,000 and 920,000 IQD.
In Erbil, 22-carat gold was sold at 1,000,000 IQD per mithqal, 21-carat gold at 955,000 IQD, and 18-carat gold at 818,000 IQD.
Oil Prices Drop On Supply Surge, Fading Tensions
2026-11-12 Shafaq News Oil prices fell more than $1 per barrel on Thursday as easing concerns over an escalation of conflict in the Middle East reduced the risk premium in crude markets, while rising OPEC+ output and growing US inventories fed worries about oversupply.
Brent futures were down $1.47, or 1.58%, to $91.29 a barrel by 0426 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures slipped $1.24, or 1.43%, to $85.29.
The declines reversed Wednesday’s gains, when Brent rose 1.4% and WTI added 0.6% after both benchmarks hit two-month lows the previous day.
“Markets are falling on expectations that behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and that it is unlikely the Iran war will escalate ahead of the US-China summit next week,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities.
“However, given the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the markets are unlikely to suffer a significant collapse,” Kikukawa said.
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed to a major prisoner exchange at two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi that ended on Wednesday, although US mediators said differences remained on other major issues, including territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv hoped to achieve concrete results on resolving the war this year.
Meanwhile, Iran will not allow even a single particle of enriched nuclear material to leave the country and there will be consequences if the US launches new strikes, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said in televised remarks.
Washington has said nuclear issues must be part of any initial negotiations with Iran aimed at ending the eight-month-old war, while US officials downplayed the need for further military strikes.
Adding to bearish sentiment in oil markets, OPEC+ crude production rose in October, driven by higher Saudi Arabian output despite ongoing shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
US crude stocks rose by 9 million barrels in the latest week, market sources said, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Official data from the US Energy Information Administration is due on Thursday, delayed a day due to a US national holiday on Wednesday. (Reuters)
Iraqis Top Jordan’s Foreign Property Market With $107 Million
2026-11-11 Shafaq News- Amman Iraqis topped the list of foreign nationals purchasing property in Jordan during the first 10 months of 2026, purchasing 463 properties worth an estimated 75.7 million Jordanian dinars (about $106.8 million), accounting for 41% of the total value of properties acquired by non-Jordanians.
According to a report by Jordan’s Department of Lands and Survey, property purchases by foreign nationals in the kingdom reached an estimated 186.6 million dinars (about $263.2 million) during the period, across 1,952 transactions.
Saudi nationals ranked second in the number of properties acquired, with 252, followed by Syrians with 228, Palestinians with 181, and Americans with 162.
In terms of total value, Americans ranked second with property purchases worth approximately 14.9 million dinars (about $21 million), followed by Palestinians at 12.8 million dinars(18.1 million), Syrians at 12.77 million dinars (about $18 million), and British nationals at approximately 10.3 million dinars (about $14.5 million). Saudi purchases totaled around 9.5 million dinars (about $13.4 million).
In October, Iraqis maintained their lead with 47 property purchases worth approximately 5.5 million dinars (about $7.8 million), accounting for 30% of the total value of property transactions by foreign nationals during the month.
Iran’s Somar Crossing Sends 650 Trucks Into Iraq
2026-11-11 Shafaq News- Kermanshah Iran’s Somar border crossing (Mandali on the Iraqi side) with Iraq recorded its highest daily trade volume, with 650 trucks carrying export goods entering Iraqi territory in a single day, according to customs authorities in Iran’s Kermanshah province.
Kermanshah Customs Director Dariush Sadeghi told Iranian media that Somar ranks third among Kermanshah’s commercial crossings with Iraq in terms of export volume, after Parvizkhan and Khosravi —the latter known as Al-Mundhiriyah on the Iraqi side. Shipments through Somar have increased in recent months, supplying Iraqi markets.
Meanwhile, local authorities announced a temporary suspension of commercial activity at Somar for several days starting in mid-November, following a notification from Iraq concerning maintenance and infrastructure upgrades on its side of the border.
Hassan Rostamzadeh, Kermanshah’s deputy governor for economic affairs coordination, said the closure would allow engineering work to expand the crossing’s capacity. Shipments will be temporarily redirected to the Parvizkhan and Khosravi crossings to maintain the flow of goods during the maintenance period.