Thursday, February 7, 2019

WOTS Thursday 2/7/19

WOTS Thursday 2/7/19




WOTS Thursday 2/7/19:
Forex Rates: 
SymbolBidAskHighLowOpenChangeTime
 USD/IQD  1,168.9000  1,221.7000 1,168.9000 1,168.9000 1,168.9000  0.0000 20:00
 USD/VND  23,169.5000  23,239.5000 23,172.5000 22,896.7000 22,896.7000  272.8000 02:30
 USD/CNY  6.7438  6.7458 6.7438 6.7348 6.7348  0.0090 03:26
 USD/KWD  0.3027  0.3047 0.3033 0.3025 0.3029  -0.0002 06:29
 GBP/USD  1.2902  1.2902 1.2938 1.2894 1.2933  -0.0031 06:31
 USD/IRR  12,048.0000  12,428.0000 12,048.0000 12,048.0000 12,048.0000  0.0000 17:51
 USD/IDR  13,993.2000  13,996.8000 13,998.2000 13,915.0000 13,936.0000  57.2000 06:22
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DC NY Iraq Articles:dd  

URGENT Trump: We may announce the elimination of a "hundred percent succession" next week

Editorial date: 2019/2/7 0:00 • 552 times read
(International: Al-Furat News) US President Donald Trump did not rule out the announcement of the total elimination of the terrorist in Syria and Iraq next week, stressing the need to continue efforts to fight it.
Trump, speaking at a meeting of defense ministers of the international coalition against "Da'ash" held in Washington on Wednesday, highlighted the "achievements" of the coalition forces led by his country in the war on "Da'ash." He pointed out that in the past two years, Of 20,000 square miles of territory under the control of the organization in Syria and Iraq, achieving "victory after another" and liberated Mosul and Raqqa and killed almost all the leading figures in the organization.
"The US military, our coalition partners and Syria's democratic forces have liberated all of the lands under Saddam's control in Iraq and Syria," Trump said, expecting the official announcement of the liberation of all former "caliphate lands", possibly next week.
Trump pointed out that his country and its partners have made efforts to prevent the dissemination of an online ideology, stressing that it is necessary to defeat "the remnants of a very dangerous terrorist organization" and to remove the adherents of "radical Islamic terrorism".
The US president stressed the importance of preventing those who fought in the ranks of "Da'ash" and persons suspected of links to the organization, from entering the countries of the alliance, stressing that the security of national borders must be guaranteed.
Jordan: We will continue to work within the framework of the international coalition against "Dahesh"
07-02-2019 12:03 AM  Baghdad:
The Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, said in an address at the ministerial meeting of the International Coalition to eliminate the terrorist organization 'Da'ash', which is being held in Washington, that the Kingdom will continue to work within the framework of the International Coalition and through meetings Aqaba to devote a comprehensive approach to fight terrorism wherever is found.
"The Kingdom will continue to work within the framework of the international coalition and through the meetings of Aqaba to devote a comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism wherever there is a collective and shadowy danger that does not belong to any civilization or religion and has nothing to do with the values ​​of peace and respect for others," said Safadi. Carried by the religion of Islam '.
Al-Safadi said during a speech at the ministerial meeting of the International Alliance to eliminate the terrorist organization 'Da'ash' in Washington.
Safadi added that the defeat of terrorism intellectually requires refutation of narrative and also requires the solution of the roots of tension that generate the oppression and despair and injustice employed by terrorism to spread darkness, primarily the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in addition to the crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya and others.
Safadi stressed 'the importance of the victory achieved by Iraq on terrorist gangs with great sacrifices and stressed the need to stand by Iraq and support in the process of reconstruction and reconstruction and stability and consolidate victory against terrorists'.
He also stressed the importance of concerted efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis and stability in them, pointing out that the stabilization of stability is a basis for the dedication of the defeat of 'Dahesh'.
The Foreign Minister attended a meeting of the mini-group on Syria hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and attended by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Loudrian, German Foreign Minister Haikou Mas, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir, British Secretary of State for Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt and Egyptian Ambassador In Washington, Yasser Raza.
The meeting discussed the efforts to end the Syrian crisis through a political solution in accordance with resolution 2254 and stressed the need to intensify efforts aimed at reaching this solution and support the efforts of the new UN envoy to Syria. 

Abadi and al-Amiri discuss the completion of the ministerial cab

Editorial date: 2019/2/6 23:30 • 117 times read
(Baghdad: al-Furat News) President of the coalition victory, Haider al-Abadi, on Wednesday, with the President of the Fatah Alliance Hadi al-Amiri, the latest political situation and the completion of the formation of the ministerial cabin and maintain the achievements made during the last period.
"The two sides" stressed the need to move forward for the country's reconstruction, security stability, economic development, investment and job creation, "Abadi said in a statement.
The statement quoted Abadi as stressing the importance of working to promote the supreme interest of the country and start a serious dialogue that sets the aspirations of our people to achieve decent living in the forefront and stay away from narrow differences of interest.
He also stressed that "Iraq has won the fight against terrorism and must win in reconstruction."

The Governor of the Iranian Central: understands the problems of the banks of the world in dealing with us because of the US embargo

Editorial date: 2019/2/7 9:55 • 76 times scheduled
The head of the Central Bank of Iran Abdul Nasser Hamati said that his country understands the problems and conditions of the banks of countries in the world because of the US embargo, adding that his country is making its jihad so that it can continue its economic and banking activities without harming the other party.
Iranian media quoted Hamati as saying that "obstacles will be removed from the way to pay Iraq's debts to Iran related to gas and electricity exports, based on the agreement signed between the two countries recently."
Hamati said that during the visit, he said, "During this visit, as well as the establishment of a mechanism for financial payment between the two countries, the agreement to remove the problems related to the transfer and return of returns of Iranian exporters to Iraq from hard currency," adding that " I am confident that these mechanisms will gradually become more fluid and overcome problems. "
"With regard to Iraq's debts to Iran's gas and electricity exports to Iran, we signed after 4 hours of talks an important agreement with the Central Bank of Iraq to address the obstacles of money transfer and debt repayment."
He pointed out that "based on the consensus, the monetary and banking relations between us and Iraq will be within the framework of the euro and dinar, where the Central Bank of Iran will calculate in Iraq on the basis of the dinar and the euro will be completed banking transactions through Iraqi banks."

Iraq rejects a Saudi proposal to create a "new OPEC"

Date of release: 2019/2/7 9:01 • 537 times read
{International: Euphrates News} US newspaper revealed an Iraqi rejection of a Saudi proposal to establish a new organization to manage oil.
The newspaper "The Wall Street Journal", that Russia and Iraq rejected a proposal to establish a new OPEC alternative oil.
According to the report issued on Tuesday evening, the proposal of the new Petroleum Organization submitted by Riyadh to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in December, but was rejected.
"Such a decision is beyond his powers and he will turn it into the Russian foreign minister and the Kremlin presidency office," Novak said. The proposal calls for transforming the current "loose cooperation" between OPEC and Russia into a "oil union" between two blocs, one led by Russia and the other by OPEC, which is dominated by Riyadh.
According to RT television reported on December 29, Russian Minister Novak said about the Saudi proposal "there will be no new oil organization," adding that it would risk creating more monopoly and bureaucracy and making decisions.
Riyadh, which has been criticized by US President Donald Trump over the past year for rising oil prices, seeks to protect Russia from American anger and blame Moscow for rising prices.
Moscow, on the other hand, is aware that the Saudi decision will remain close to Washington, so it will not win Riyadh, but wants to exploit it to achieve the Russian energy strategy by dominating the decision and directions of "OPEC", without the existence of legal obligations on its part, because Moscow avoids engaging in a conflict with the United States.
This "proposed union" or so-called "new OPEC" will be built from two groups, the OPEC member group, and the group of Russian-led countries that include former oil-exporting states of the former Soviet republics and other countries under Moscow's cloak.
Namely the 10 countries that cooperated with the Petroleum Organization in reducing production and allowing prices to rise after the painful collapse cycle.
According to Wall Street, Iran and other members of the group also rejected the proposal because of concerns over Moscow's and Riyadh's dominance of oil policy.

The proposed oil union seeks to restore Riyadh's ability to steer oil prices amid rising US rock oil production, which in recent years has become a "weighted product" that sets oil market trends and prices.
And the role of "weighted product", previously played by Riyadh and setting the price target for a barrel of oil.
This new proposal is a relaxation of an earlier plan put forward by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to create a "completely new oil organization", of which Russia becomes a member, which has been floated by the Saudi government.
In June, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, through Oil Minister Khalid al-Faleh, proposed a plan to create a completely new oil organization with new members.
According to the "Wall Street Journal" of OPEC officials. However, the proposal put forward in Vienna raised the concern of some Member States, particularly Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Angola and Algeria. The former Iraqi oil minister Thamer Ghadhban has been outspoken criticism of the plan, where Faleh said at a meeting in Vienna that "OPEC was established in Baghdad" (in reference to the role of Iraq to establish).
Riyadh, which faces a range of oil crises and still relies more than 80 percent on oil in budget revenues, seeks to raise oil prices and fight rock oil without bringing American anger to it. The only way is to try to persuade Moscow to play this role. The danger.
But Moscow, which has already suffered from dumping Saudi Arabia into oil markets and putting it in a political crisis that ended with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, is not prepared to play this role.According to the report, Riyadh will go to put the plan again at the meeting in Vienna on February 18.
Riyadh has put its budget at $ 84 a barrel at a time when prices are around $ 60 a barrel. Riyadh, which accounts for more than 80 percent of its income, suffers from a huge deficit that will have to be heavily leveraged this year amid harsh conditions and conditions that will not be comfortable for it and its major companies such as Aramco and its sisters.
Oil fell 1 percent on Wednesday after the US crude inventories report showed signs of concern over the impact of US sanctions on Venezuela on global supply. Concerns about weak global economic growth and the China-US trade dispute continue to weigh on the morale of major oil traders.
Oil fell on Tuesday after a survey showed business growth in the euro area almost stopped in January. London Brent crude <LCOc1> fell 62 cents to $ 61.36 a barrel, after rising 15 percent in January. US crude fell 48 cents to $ 53.18
 
Kauaihn Iraq Articles:dd

Foreign Minister and his Saudi counterpart discuss cooperation to combat terrorism

Release date: 2019/2/7 10:25 • 120 times read
Baghdad: Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim met with Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adil al-Jubeir on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the International Coalition for a provocative defeat held in Washington, DC.
The two sides discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries, the overall developments in the region and ways to enhance joint cooperation in various fields and overcome the challenges facing them, particularly cooperation to combat the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism.
"Iraq is keen to strengthen bilateral relations with Riyadh, intensify cooperation and coordinate developments on the regional and international arenas," he said.
He stressed "the need to open the prospects for economic cooperation and development between the two countries, and the continuation of consultations and contacts between the two brotherly countries; to protect the region from the dangers that could harm the interests of the two brotherly peoples."
For his part, the Saudi minister valued the relationship between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the latest developments in fruitful cooperation between the two countries and their importance in maintaining security and stability in the region.

Political analyst: completion of the government formation after the parliament holiday

(Independent) .. The political analyst Bashar Qadduri that it is agreed to complete the formation of the government after the end of the legislative holiday of the Iraqi parliament.
Kadouri told (independent) will be agreed to complete the ministerial cabin of the ministries of defense, interior, justice and education, and vote on candidates after the end of the parliament holiday.
He expected the creation of a new ministry "as if the Ministry of National Security" likely to take the post Faleh Fayyad, indicating that this comes "to get out of the bottleneck, which differed the pivotal of conquest and reform"
He explained that Allawi will be satisfied with the defense candidate, while the interior of the alliance of reform with Abadi, the candidate of the dagger for education and a Kurdish candidate for a Christian justice.
Kadouri said that this is enough to "come out in peace, security and stability.

A Russian company develops an oil field in Dhi Qar

Editorial date: 2019/2/7 11:44 • 43 times scheduled
The governor of Dhi Qar Yahya al-Nasseri announced the imminent entry of a Russian company to develop an oil field with a capacity of 150 thousand barrels per day, while the Ministry of Oil approved the opening of an oil institute in the province at the beginning of the second half of the current academic year.
Naciri said in a press statement that "the province will work to create the work requirements of the Russian company and hand over the site as soon as possible to proceed with the development of Abu Amoud oil field expected to produce 150 thousand barrels per day during the next five years, which has a reserve of about two billion barrels.
"The agreement with the company came during a meeting with the representative of the Russian president in Baghdad with the management of the company and in the presence of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete all the requirements of the company's work and this is a new Bushra for the people of the province and the national economy."
Naciri said that "the province attaches great importance to the development of the oil sector through the four fields, whose current production to about 250 thousand barrels per day, adding that the province continues to communicate with the central government and the Ministry of Oil to release the amounts of petrodollars owed and not launched years ago, Budget ".
He called on the government to bring international companies to develop their oil fields and take advantage of the development of damaged infrastructure in the province, pointing out that "the province of Dhi Qar owns a large reservoir of oil and will contribute to increase the revenues of the state."

Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and international officials following the speech of President Donald Trump at the meetings of the International Coalition for a daunting defeatDefeat announced after its meeting in Washington that it remains united and determined to remove the threat it represents and to skip its destructive and wrongful speech.
He commended the efforts of the Iraqi Government and expressed his satisfaction that the coalition partners would continue their operations in Syria and provide security and stability in the liberated areas.
Deprivation of refuge from refuge
The Alliance expressed its commitment to work with the Iraqi government to continue to deprive a supporter of any refuge and prevent him from deploying his fighters, weapons and resources.
He also stressed the commitment to support counterterrorism operations, train Iraqi security forces, continue to address humanitarian situations and restore stability to liberated areas.
The Alliance expressed its commitment to help the Iraqi government to ensure the permanent defeat of Dahesh, and reaffirmed his absolute support for Iraq and its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said that ensuring the permanent defeat of Dahesh would remain a priority for the coalition's collective efforts as long as the threat remained, and to avoid resurgence of the organization in the territories it once controlled.
Foundation stone
The alliance stressed that a crushing defeat in Iraq and Syria is the cornerstone of the war against the organization but does not mean that the campaign against Da'ash is over.
He stressed the collective commitment to justice for civilians who have suffered at the hands of an advocate and to provide the protection they deserve from the partners of the international coalition.
Dahesh was more focused on supporting his branches and global networks to move forward from more tolerant positions and inspiring local terrorists.
The Alliance expressed its stand with the Syrian people and their support for the real political transition process based on the 2012 Geneva Declaration and Security Council Resolution 2254 aimed at establishing a comprehensive non-sectarian government representing the will of all Syrians and expressing support for unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

Erbil, Baghdad Seeking Coordinations in Disputed Areas

BasNews 07/02/2019 - 00:36 Published in Kurdistan
Kurdish and Iraqi military officials have stressed the need to cooperate in the efforts between the sides to fight terrorism across the country, an Iraqi official said on Wednesday.
Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Othman Ghanmi told Kurdistan 24 that both sides believe the disputed areas need to be ruled by joint forces, including the Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces. He, however, rejected the reports claiming that Erbil and Baghdad has reached an agreement based on which the Peshmerga forces will return to the disputed territories.
Earlier on Monday, high-level delegates from the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Ministry and Iraqi Ministry of Defense met in Erbil to discuss the subject.
They also have created several joint committees to ease the process of security and military coordination between Erbil and Baghdad.
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ECONOMIC TIMES / CHATTER

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GLOBAL/NEWS/INFO

Today in History
ABC News
Today in History Read the full story
10 Things to Know for Today
ABC News
Among 10 Things to Know: Trump calls for bipartisanship, hard line on immigration in State of the Union; Second Trump-Kim summit set for later this month in Vietnam; Torture still scars Iranians 40 years after revolution Read the full story


OIL/COMMODITIES/ENERGY
PRECIOUS-Gold steadies above one-week low as dollar, stocks gain
Reuters
* Dollar index hovers near 1-week peak Read the full story

Gold struggles for direction as investors eye dollar, bond yields
MarketWatch
Gold futures drift lower in light trade Tuesday with investors looking to the dollar and Treasury yields for cues as bulls attempt to reignite upside momentum. Read the full story

Opinion: Bullish gold investors now have reason to worry
MarketWatch
Market sentiment about gold has become irrationally exuberant, writes Mark Hulbert. Read the full story

Bullish Gold Investors Now Have Reason to Worry
Barron's
Market sentiment about gold has become irrationally exuberant, writes Mark Hulbert. Read the full story
Oil Prices Slips as Weak U.S. Data Weighs
Investing.com
Commodities Feb 05, 2019 16:26 GMT Investing.com - Oil prices moved lower Tuesday as another bout of weaker-than-expected economic data stateside underlined worries over global demand. New York-traded West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 39 cents, or 0.71%, at $54.17 a barrel by 11:22 AM ET(16:22 GMT). Meanwhile, Brent crude futures, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., slipped 6 cents, or 0.10%, to $62.45. According to the Institute of Supply Management, activity in the U.S. Read the full story

In squeezed oil industry, some rethink hunt for new barrels
Reuters
New partnerships are emerging in the global hunt for oil discoveries, with some explorers essentially offering an outsourcing service for the riskiest part of the energy business. Read the full story

Goldman Sachs plans cuts in commodities trading unit: WSJ
Reuters
Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to chop its commodities business after a months-long review showed the business was using too much capital for too little profit, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Read the full story

BANKS/BANKING/CREDIT


Germany must play role in international finance and banking
Reuters
German Economy Minister PeterAltmaier said on Tuesday that Germany needed to play a role ininternational finance and banking but declined to commentspecifically on Deutsche Bank. Read the full story

Banks may have to shell out another up to $5.6 billion for bad debt: India Ratings
Reuters
Indian banks may have to provide an additional up to 400 billion rupees ($5.59 billion) towards loans, which could potentially turn sour between October 2018 and September 2020, according to India Ratings & Research, the domestic arm of Fitch Ratings. Read the full story

The Secret to Mastercard's Success
The Motley Fool
In 2018's final quarter, Mastercard announced a slew of new deals and agreements. Most seemed to have been driven by a common factor. Read the full story

Better Buy: Goldman Sachs vs. Bank of America
The Motley Fool
These are two strong institutions with great recent results. Which is the better buy? Read the full story

UPDATE 1-HSBC cuts dozens of investment banking jobs -source
Reuters
* Dozens of bankers informed of job cuts this week Read the full story


TREASURIES/BONDS/STOCKS



A Peek Into The Markets: US Stock Futures Surge Ahead Of Earnings
Benzinga
Pre-open movers U.S. stock futures traded higher in early pre-market trade, ahead of earnings reports from several companies. US Services Purchasing Managers' Index for January will be released at 9:45 a.m. ET, while the ISM non-manufacturing composite index for January is schedule for release at 10:00 a.m. ET. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 92 points to 25,280, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures rose 6.25 points to 2,727.50. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index Read the full story

European markets upbeat; by oil and bank stocks lead the way
MarketWatch
Major European indexes were upbeat on Tuesday, supported the oil stocks, banking stocks and momentum from Wall Street’s session on Monday Read the full story

Wall Street is expecting negative earnings growth for the first quarter of 2019
Yahoo Finance
There's a major earnings slowdown around the corner for S&P 500 companies. Read the full story

Top 5 Things to Know in The Market on Wednesday
Investing.com
Economy Feb 06, 2019 10:28 GMT Investing.com - Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Wednesday, February 6: 1. Markets Digest Trump’s State of the Union In his annual State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that illegal immigration was an urgent national crisis and reiterated his vow to build a border wall, raising the prospect of another government shutdown. Building a wall along the border with Mexico Read the full story

CRYPTO'S / DIGITAL CURRENCY

Bitcoin's Daily Price Range Hits Three-Month Low
CoinDesk
The current calm in the bitcoin market is reminiscent of the lackluster trading witnessed in October. Read the full story

$312 Million in Mt Gox Cryptos Possibly Sold Via BitPoint Exchange
CoinDesk
Leaked bank documents suggest that $312.5 million in crypto from defunct bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox was sold via the BitPoint exchange. Read the full story

Gold-Backed Cryptocurrency Launched by Iranian Banks: Report
CoinDesk
Four Iranian banks have reportedly teamed up with a blockchain startup to launch a gold-backed cryptocurrency called “PayMon.” Read the full story


CURRENCIES

Dollar gains for 2nd day in a row ahead of State of the Union address
MarketWatch
The U.S. dollar continues its move higher on Tuesday, ahead of President Donald Trump’s delayed State of the Union address in the evening. Read the full story

Dollar bulls still reign — and that’s good news for bears, analysts say
MarketWatch
U.S. dollar bulls are alive and well despite a lot of negative talk about the currency, according to data compiled by TD Securities in an effort to bridge the gap left by a lack of positioning data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a result of the 35-day government shutdown that ended last month. Read the full story

Pound euro exchange rate: GBP/EUR in tug of war as UK services plummet & Eurozone suffers
Express
The pound euro exchange rate is steady today and is trading around €1.140, despite dismal UK Markit services PMI figures for January, which fell well below expectation to 50.1. This has caused some concern for pound traders, with the UK services sector drawing increasingly closer to contraction. Chris Williamson, a Chief Business Economist at HIS Markit, commented: “The latest PMI survey results indicate that the UK economy is at risk of stalling or worse as escalating Brexit uncertainty Read the full story

Argentina cenbank buys $75 mln for second day to rein in peso
Reuters
Argentina's central bankbought a total of $75 million in the foreign exchange market onTuesday, the bank said, the second day in a row it has hit arecently increased maximum cap for dollar buying to help rein inthe local peso currency. Read the full story

Australian dollar slips - Inside Retail
Inside Retail
The dollar falls overnight. The post Australian dollar slips appeared first on Inside Retail. Read the full story

How can I exchange rupees in India without getting ripped off?
Daily Mail
I’m concerned about being ripped off in India when it comes to exchanging money. Why can’t I get the currency here? What tips do you have for me to avoid getting stung? Read the full story

HEALTH / SCIENCE


This 5-Move Circuit Will Help Burn Fat and Sculpt Your Core, No Matter Your Fitness Level
POPSUGAR
Everyone wants a smaller waist, but figuring out exactly how to melt stubborn belly fat and strengthen and tone your core can be tricky — especially if you're a fitness newcomer. While you can't spot-reduce fat, getting your heart rate up with cardio-infused exercises can help slim your body from ... Read the full story

Healthcare Venture Capital Funding Is Already Off To A Record Start In 2019
Forbes
Healthcare startups raised a record $2.6 billion last month, but will these kinds of rounds continue for much longer? Read the full story

Poorer workers are less likely to get health care from their jobs
Axios
Low-income workers are significantly less likely to receive health insurance through their employer than wealthier people, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Only 28% of full-time workers below the federal poverty level have employer insurance. Read the full story

The effect work related stress has on your heart and profitability
Ladders
Workplace related stress rivals diabetes and drinking as a heart disease risk factor. Read the full story

Measles rarely kills in the US -- but when it does, here's how
CNN
Measles is a highly contagious disease that is caused by a virus that spreads through the air when infected people cough or sneeze. Read the full story



USA / CANADA

Exclusive: Fed could raise rates as much as twice this year - BlackRock's Rieder
Reuters
The Federal Reserve wants to raise interest rates one to two more times this year and will do so if inflation gathers steam, BlackRock Inc's Rick Rieder told Reuters this week. Read the full story

Democrats target the rich with tax hikes — and history may be on their side
CNBC
Railing against income inequality is a pertinent political message, but scholars also warn that the gap between the rich and poor can lead to political, economic and social issues. Read the full story

U.S. warns European allies not to use Chinese gear for 5G networks
Reuters
The United States sees the European Union as its top priority in a global effort to convince allies not to buy Huawei equipment for next-generation mobile networks, a U.S. State Department Official said on Tuesday. Read the full story
Everything About The Digital Nomad Lifestyle Sounds Great, Except The US Tax System
Forbes
At the moment, tax laws and regulations in the U.S. are stifling innovation and keeping people from relying on cryptocurrencies in a meaningful way. In order to have widespread adoption of crypto, there needs to be an intelligent way to integrate crypto into our tax system. Read the full story

EMERGING MARKETS

Brazil's Itau sees riskier loan book growth -CEO
Reuters
Brazilian bank Itau UnibancoHolding SA's loan book is expected to grow along riskier lines of credit, although the company's fundamental riskappetite remains unchanged, Chief Executive Candido Bracher saidon Tuesday. Read the full story

What’s Next for Venezuela’s Oil Industry
Barron's
If Maduro is ousted, the long-term forecast looks a lot better. Read the full story

Loss of Venezuelan oil exports won't leave huge gap in global market
Reuters
There is ample spare capacity in other oil producers and strategic reserves to compensate for a loss of Venezuela's crude exports, helping explain the tepid reaction of global oil prices to U.S. sanctions announced a week ago. Read the full story


MIDDLE EAST

Iran criticises Greece, Italy for not buying its oil despite U.S. waivers
Reuters
Iran's oil minister on Tuesdaycriticised Greece and Italy for not buying its oil despite U.S.waivers and said they had not offered Tehran any explanation fortheir decision. Read the full story

US silence on Yemen could be ending, but not for humanitarian reasons
TRT World
US silence on Yemen could be ending, but not for humanitarian reasons Read the full story

Iran warns Israel of 'firm' response to air raids in Syria
Aljazeera
Iran has warned Israel of a "firm and appropriate" response if it continued attacking targets in Syria, where Tehran has backed President Bashar al-Assad and his forces in their nearly eight-year war against rebels and ISIL fighters. Israel, which views Iran as its biggest security threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets and those of its allied militia in Syria. With an election looming in April, Israel has been increasingly open about carrying out its air strikes. 181226135745199 In a Read the full story


AFRICA

Zimbabwe: Finance Minister - Too Much Waste in the Economy
AllAfrica
THE flamboyant Victorian British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, once noted that; "There can be economy, only where there is efficiency". Zimbabwe's economy has been full of inefficiencies for far too long. Waste in the economy, has led to want amongst the people. Our people deserve better. And as the Minister of Finance, I have a duty to set things right. The Government's Transitional Stabilisation Programme is at the heart of our reform programme. It outlines the State Enterprise Reform Read the full story

Southern Africa: SA Hospital to Zimbabweans - Chiwenga Not Here, Go Protest Elsewhere
AllAfrica
South Africa's Western Cape Health Department has told protesting Zimbabweans to leave Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital saying vice president Constantino Chiwenga is not being treated there. "Western Cape Health Department confirms Zimbabwe's Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga is not being treated at Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital," SAfm radio revealed on Twitter Monday. "A group of Zimbabwean nationals are protesting outside the hospital, calling for Chiwenga to go back home to receive Read the full story

Zimbabwe: 'Ailing' Chiwenga Back in Zim, Attends Cabinet Meeting
AllAfrica
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is back in the country and attended Tuesday's Cabinet session, New Zimbabwe.com has learnt. State media published pictures of Chiwenga seated next to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his other deputy Kembo Mohadi in the Cabinet room. "Vice President Retired General Dr Constantino Chiwenga attended today's Cabinet meeting, together with VP Kembo Mohadi, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda," a caption Read the full story

Zimbabwe teachers strike patchy as reprisals feared
Reuters
Some Zimbabwean teachers stayed at home while others went slow on the job as a strike at state schools got off to a patchy start amid fears of further intimidation by security forces who cracked down hard on last month's protests. Read the full story




ASIA

China success for Western firms will be down to the 'desirability of the brand'
CNBC
While data points to an economic slowdown in China, results from the likes of Louis Vuitton parent LVMH show a different picture. Read the full story

Big Trouble in Little China
The Epoch Times
The country’s economic problems are starting to escalate China is a country of extremes, especially regarding economic forecasts. There are those who think “China will take over the world” with its technocratic central planning. Then there are those who say its debt bubble is so gigantic, the economy will crash and burn. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. And it looks like we are getting closer to knowing the truth. Official GDP growth is, of course, on track at 6.6 percent for the Read the full story

Taking the Temperature of Chinese Markets
The Epoch Times
Markets signals may be too rosy as Chinese head into Lunar New Year break News Analysis As China heads into the Lunar New Year holiday break, its financial markets are trending higher. In January, key Chinese equity indices have seen their biggest gains in years, despite economic headwinds and the ongoing trade war that still lingers. The CSI 300, an index that tracks stocks from the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, rallied around 6 percent last month. The benchmark Shanghai Composite was up 4 Read the full story

China banks on lending to ease slowdown
BBC News US
China is pushing to boost consumption to help manage the slowdown in the world's second largest economy. Read the full story
European Union likely to profit the most from US-China trade war, UN group says
South China Morning Post
The European Union is set to be the biggest winner of the trade war that has raged between the United States and China since last year, according to a new study by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The United Nations organisation… Read the full story

EUROPE

Brexit: Losing business 'a price worth paying for sovereignty'
BBC News US
Why did some businesses vote for Brexit when it could harm their operations? Read the full story

Intercepted chats tie Iranian diplomat to Tehran in alleged Paris terror plot, official says
The Independent
Exclusive: Alleged plots on European soil are straining support for the nuclear deal which Trump quit last year Officials from EU members of the UN Security Council discuss Iran at a news conference in Brussels (AP) European security officials have intercepted communications that suggest an Iranian diplomat was not only involved in an alleged plot last year to bomb a meeting of Tehran opponents outside Paris, but coordinated efforts with some figures back in Iran, a well-placed western official Read the full story

Investments shore up earnings at Italy's Intesa SanPaolo
Business Insider
MILAN (AP) - Italian bank Intesa SanPaolo says its 2018 earnings increased by a modest 5 percent as it refocuses its business on asset management. The bank on Tuesday reported net income of 4 billion euros ($4.5 billion) compared with 3.8 billion euros a year earlier. Investments on financial assets increased in the period by 22 percent to 1.6 billion euros, while net interest income and net fees and commission each declined 2 percent, to 7.2 billion euros and 7.8 billion euros, respectively. Read the full story

The U.K. Is Mulling Removing All Tariffs After a No-Deal Brexit—An Absolutely Bonkers Idea
FORTUNE
The British government is considering a wholesale removal of import tariffs in the case of a “no-deal” Brexit. There is a lot that’s wrong with this idea. The plan was initially reported by HuffPost on Tuesday. Trade Secretary Liam Fox apparently set out the proposal to business leaders in recent days. The idea is one of several options on the table, as Fox’s Department for International Trade grapples with what would happen if the U.K. crashes out of the EU in late March, with no transitional Read the full story

Brexit isn't even here yet, but here's a list of the damage that's already been done
Business Insider
Many are fleeing London even before Brexit. Banks and financial firms that make up about 6.5% of Britain's GDP have already taken precautionary measures to prep for Brexit, meaning a lot of damage is already done. Banking is just the tip of the iceberg with many other industries also making irrevocable decisions The damage to the economy from Brexit is already afoot - so much so that the act of leaving the EU itself is, at this point, increasingly irrelevant. Leaders of companies with UK Read the full story
d


CBI, ISX, Kauaihn Chatter:





CBI Update:
The CBI for Thursday 2/7/19 did update on the indicative rates Sell Rate 1190
The currency auction is 137,021,040
There is one news and announcements.
President of the Republic opens the pavilion of the Central Bank of Iraq at the Baghdad International Book Fair 2019President of the Republic of Iraq Dr. Barham Saleh opened the Central Bank of Iraq in.
February 07, 2019
The President of Iraq Dr. Barham Saleh opened the Central Bank of Iraq at the Baghdad International Book Fair 2019 in the presence of the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq Mr. Ali Mohsen Ismail.

Where the opening was attended by His Excellency the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Dr. Mahdi Alalak and Minister of Culture Abdul Amir Al-Hamdani

The President praised the role of the Central Bank to support the Book Fair because of its cultural and literary repercussions on the Iraqi street, especially on seekers of science and culture.

For his part, the Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Mohsen Ismail, said that the wide participation witnessed by this exhibition in the presence of six hundred and fifty publishing houses from 24 countries presented hundreds of intellectual and cultural titles in various fields. This underscores the importance of culture in Iraq and its return to its customary Arab and international status. The importance of the convergence of civilization in a place has a historical and cultural identity, especially this is what led us in the initiative of Tamkeen, which is sponsored by the Central Bank of Iraq and contribute to the Iraqi banks to support this forum as well as participate in some of its activities and intellectual.
Bank Articles:

Rasheed Bank issues new instructions on advances

In local February 7, 2019 Comments on Rasheed Bank issues new instructions on advances closed 38 visits
Baghdad / SNG - Al-Rasheed Bank issued a new directive Thursday to grant advances to employees, indicating that this includes card holders who have completed the settlement of their salaries.
"The amount of Nakheel's advance was set at 10 million dinars, or 5 million dinars, according to the salary limits of each employee," the bank's information office said in a statement received by SNG.
He added that "the instructions included that the applicant for the advance should be an employee of the permanent owner and has a one year service and interest (8%) for a period of (5) years paid in installments and benefits equal," calling for those wishing to apply to review the nearest branch of his residence or department and fill out a form in that branch Regardless of the existence or absence of an account for his department in that branch. "

Rafidain takes a new batch of pensioners' advances

Editorial date: 2019/2/7 8:37 • 111 times read
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) Rafidain Bank announced the disbursement of a new meal of the predecessor of retired civilian and military, ranging from 3, 5, 8 and 10 million dinars through electronic payment tools.
The bank's press office said in a statement received by the agency {Euphrates News} a copy of it, that "a new batch of retired civilian and military pensioners were transferred to more than 1617 retirees."
The statement said that "the disbursement of this advance was by informing the pensioner by sending him a text message informing him of the advance payment, after he completed all the legal procedures to grant it and disbursement through the electronic payment tools, which was filled the financial balance to it."


CBI chief confers with Iraqi finance minister
Baghdad, 2019/02/07 IRNA– Governor of Central Bank of Iran (CBI) sat down for talks with Iraqi Finance Minister Fouad Hussein in Baghdad late on Wednesday
During the meeting attended by Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi, they discussed latest state of cooperation and economic ties between the two countries.

They also explored avenues for easing trade and monetary exchanges between the two countries based on the agreement signed earlier by their governors of central banks.

Hemmati arrived in Baghdad late on Tuesday and was received by his Iraqi counterpart Ali Mohsen Ismail al-Alaq.

After talks by the two sides’ delegations for several hours last night, they signed an agreement on payment channel on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he conferred with President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Adel Abdelmahdi.

Hemmati and accompanying delegation left Baghdad for Karbala late on Wednesday on a pilgrimage to the holy sites in the city.

They will leave for Tehran on Thursday.

ISX Update:
No update yet

Value Traded
324,335,695
Shares Traded
517,623,102
ISX ended in Red
Kauaihn Chatter:dd
http://www.dinarguru.com/
2-7-2019  *** Dinar Guru News Update ***  The 2019 Iraqi Budget was officially signed into LAW on Monday. Article: "The budget for Iraq for Fiscal Year 2019 officially became law on Monday with the signature of Iraqi President Barham Salih."  This is a milestone that needed to happen for Iraq to be considered a functioning country.  IMPORTANT:  Now we await the printing of the 2019 Budget in the Gazette so it becomes official law.  Stay tuned as the gurus chime in on the importance of the budget law to a possible increase in the value of the dinar...  The latest guru posts will continue below.
2-7-2019   Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat     EXCHANGE PROCESS... Remember how the banks operate. They need to make a profit. ...So what...are they going to do with billions and billions of Iraqi dinar in their foreign currency portfolios of reserve currencies? They will need to sell the currency to someone with a spread to make any money off it. ...Also where are they going to get all the funding to make these exchanges?  ...at this time the banks will already have a customer for the dinar. The US Treasury has already made arrangements with the major/main bank branches to buy all their dinar, if they chose to trade it. So the banks do have a customer and this is why they will be taking the dinar so easily. If it weren’t for this fact there is no way that billions of dinars could be traded and taken into the banks throughout the US by average walk-in citizens.  [post 1 of 2....stay tuned]
2-6-2019   Newshound Guru Adam Montana   ...I see that I didn't explain why the HCL is important.    In a nutshell, it's important to the Kurds so they get a fair share of oil revenue, and ties in very closely to their concerns on the budget. Both of those issues are melting away, right in front of our eyes.  With these two things lining up at the same time, we have the most perfect situation to see an RV that I've ever witnessed.  RIGHT NOW is an amazing time to be part of  this situation!
2-6-2019  Newshound Guru Kaperoni   ...The dinar will never revalue or re-instate.  It is a process that will take time. Once they get off the peg and begin to float.
2-6-2019   Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat   ...We know that in order to conduct business with the rest of the world they must significantly increase the rate of exchange on the IQD when they do post it back.  Like I keep telling everyone - the VALUE is found in the Iraqi dinar it is just that the RATE does not now reflect the true value as it is being artificially suppressed due to sanctions. Oh – but we know that officially the sanctions have been “fully” lifted already since 2018. So what is the hold up then?  We know for a FACT that the month of January is the BEST (but not only) month to reinstate the dinar. We just witnessed two attempts to do it in January and both times the NSA (national security agency of the US) stopped it for security reasons. I am now hearing this was due to the sanctions imposed on Iran and that the US needs assurances in two areas before this can move ahead – 1)US forces are secure in Iraq;  2)trade with Iran will not be conducted in US dollars ...This all I know and we are still in a waiting mode to how all of this gets sorted out.  [post 2 of 2]

2-6-2019   Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat   We are waiting for the opening of the 2019 budget to begin the reconstruction. In doing so we are hoping this will also inspire the reinstatement of the dinar so investors feel comfortable coming into Iraq and investing knowing the currency is worth something and they can easily trade it outside Iraq. The updates to the investment law of 2015 are also in place and so investors can now more easily transfer funds in and out of Iraq under the law. There are also international mechanisms in place to facilitate this action. But one piece that is really needed is to have the Iraqi dinar once again listed on the global currency exchanges...It was not until the UN resolution in 2003 that ripped the IQD off the exchanges. Now they must get it listed back on.  [post 1 of 2....stay tuned]

2-6-2019    Newshound Guru Adam Montana   [With all that has happened they surely "can" RV and I as everyone want them to.  However, what will make them want to do it now vs a month, or say 6 Months from now?  What makes the trigger be pulled?]   One set of letters:   HCL. That, combined with the extremely positive budget. This is happening now, not 6 months ago, and not 6 months from now.

2-6-2019   Intel Guru Bruce   The information over the last couple of days has been relatively little because whereas we have a number of sources that comes from banks, financial groups and institutions, and other providers most have gone entirely quiet...Either they are under an NDA or a gag order and they have been asked to stay that way.  That is a very positive sign for us... I know that the rates have continued to rise slowly...We got good indicators of a slightly increase of the main ones we tend to follow...I think in this particular case if you are going to be looking for a front screen rate there is no hurry because the rates are going to continue to go up...It is going to be an interesting next few days...
2-6-2019 Newshound Guru MilitiaMan Article: "Published the text of the Budget Law 2019 after the ratification of the President of the Republic" Well, imo every citizen in Iraq, including the politicians are looking for the public announcement now on the results that should be found within the 2019 Budget. The rate for many things and imo most likely HCL monies are in there, which has to be what everyone in the world that owns Dinar is waiting for... The citizens may get retroactive pay too...So by this and with Franks [Guru Frank26] opinion among others everything is done and we await for it to come to us.

 


Elmer:
Not in today
Artmeister:
Not in today
Catnip:



*************
ARTICLE 1-A (from PM Mahdi's website; posted only on Arabic side, not on English side; 8 pix)

Prime Minister Adil Abdel Mahdi and his Italian counterpart, Professor Giuseppe Conte, are holding official talks

Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and his Italian counterpart Prof. Giuseppe Conti held a joint meeting in Baghdad today, during which they discussed the Iraqi-Italian relations, ways of increasing cooperation in all fields, activating the Iraqi-Italian committee and discussing efforts to support security and stability in the region. Journalist.

The Prime Minister expressed his country's pride in the friendly relations and cooperation with Italy and its appreciation for its stand with Iraq in the face of terrorism and to support the economic, vital and humanitarian projects. He welcomed the Italian Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation to Iraq and to achieve positive results for the two friendly countries and peoples.

Italy is an advanced industrial country and we want to benefit from the Italian experience in the industrial and economic fields. The Italian companies known for their international reputation are working in Iraq and welcome and we look forward to increasing their presence and contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq. The two countries have great opportunities for joint cooperation in the economic, trade, And others.

Italian Prime Minister Professor Giuseppe Conti expressed his happiness at his first visit to Iraq and thanked the Iraqi government and the Prime Minister for his welcome and welcome.

He said that Italy has been and will always be with Iraq and its people and we will be with you in the stage of stability and reconstruction. The difficult circumstances facing the Iraqi people have become behind our backs with the bravery and sacrifice of the Iraqis and the unity of all their sects. Health and education, working with UNESCO and the World Bank for prospecting and antiquities protection, as well as training programs for Iraqi security forces.

A formal reception ceremony was held at the government palace in Baghdad this morning.

Media Office of the Prime Minister
6 February 2019

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ARTICLE 2 (from Government of Iraq twitter account)

  1. We extend a very warm welcome to writers, artists & publishers from Iraq, the region & around the world attending the Baghdad International Book Fair 2019.
  2. PM @AdilAbdAlMahdi holds his weekly press conference in Baghdad. Watch the highlights here.
  1. PM @AdilAbdAlMahdi welcomes to Baghdad Prime Minister of Italy @GiuseppeConteIT, thanks him for Italy’s support for Iraq, discusses strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of areas including defence, trade and reconstruction.
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ARTICLE 3

Sistani calls on the government of Abdul Mahdi to apply the law to everyone and to hold arms with the state

Najaf - February 6 - Iraq's highest religious authority, Ali al-Sistani, called on the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi to apply law to everyone and to arm the state.

In a statement published on Sistani's website, al-Sistani said on Wednesday that "this afternoon, Jenin Henness Blachkarth, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and head of its mission in Iraq, welcomed the efforts of the international organization in helping the Iraqis to overcome the problems experienced by the country, In the performance of its mission. "

He pointed out that "the new Iraqi government has significant tasks and should show the features of progress and success in its work soon and in particular in the file to combat corruption and improve public services and alleviate the suffering of citizens, especially in the province of Basra," stressing that "the political blocs if not changed their approach In dealing with the issues of the country, there will be no real chance to resolve the current crises. "

"The Iraqis have paid a heavy price in defeating al-Daheshi terrorism. They represent a large number of martyrs, wounded, disabled, devastated areas of the country and a huge financial cost," he said. "There is an urgent need for reconstruction of the war-affected areas.

Stressed that "this should be a priority of the government, which contributes to reduce the risk of growing extremist thought in these regions again," noting that "the international organizations and the world's help in the speed of achieving this."

"The importance of practical commitment by all officials and citizens to the requirements of civil peace and cohesion of the community and not to differentiate between the sons of one country and the care of religious minorities and ethnic."

He pointed to the need to "apply the law to all citizens and residents without exception and to limit the arms of the government and stand against illegal behavior, including assassinations and kidnappings and hold them accountable regardless of their intellectual and political affiliations."

"Iraq aspires to have good and balanced relations with all neighboring countries and other peace-loving governments on the basis of common interests without interfering in its internal affairs or undermining its sovereignty and independence. It also refuses to be a station to harm any other country," he said. (1)
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ARTICLE 4

Federal Intelligence calls on citizens to report suspicious transactions via a special e-mail number

February 6 - "The Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency at the Ministry of the Interior called on citizens to report any terrorist movements or activities or organized crime through the toll free number 144 and the website," the Security Information Center said Wednesday. malumate@moi.gov.iq pledging that the identity of the caller be kept secret.

Separately, the security forces in the Anbar Operations Command found a tunnel containing a quantity of C4 material within the responsibility zone. It was dealt with in a fundamental manner. A terrorist suspect was also arrested after ambush in the eastern entrance to the city of Ramadi. Dalej has been the detonation of 64 explosive remnants of the gangs of terrorist advocates, while lifting 11 explosive devices and glycanan capacity of 20 liters in the area of ​​the sail, to the arrest of a defendant impersonating a security element and blackmailing shop owners in the district of Ramadi, and found on 145 60 mm mortar rounds of paddle residue District 7 km, it has been dealing with the seized material Osolaa.anthy Ahh
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