Economic Development and Outlook
The Iraqi economy remains heavily dependent on extracting and exporting crude oil for generating an overwhelming share of gross domestic product (GDP), and still one-sided as with its counterparts of other country members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The level of government expenditures is largely affected by any rise or decline in oil prices globally, resulting in corresponding public budget surplus or deficit on the basis of estimated oil prices per barrel, and the amount of current government commitments.
Relevant specialized institutions like the CBI and Ministry of Planning (MOP) review key aspects of impacts made by those factors in their analyses, beside other economic studies and reports released by research and university centers.
Effects concerning the volume of investment and share trading impact the private sector and individual initiatives and size of business sector, depending upon the per capita income, scale of unemployment, economic cycles -be they depression, recession, or recovery- and their duration, and prevailing culture of investment. In another sense, stimulating investment and trade in shares needs combined socio-economic incentives to change and develop the traditional patterns of activities that take place at investment outlets. Without a doubt, earnings per share (EPS) are considered one of the main incentives for investing in shares, however there is a set of other stimulants for shareholders, and both existing and prospective investors to enhance the share turnover ratio at one level, and provide the necessary funding for economic projects which increase recovery prospects at the other. First and foremost, among such stimulants are regulations and rules that support trading in shares and attract stock capital, along with creation of new infrastructure and services that develop national economy and generate more investment opportunities.
Republic of Iraq
Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges
60