by Travis Johnson, Stock Gumshoe | May 6, 2013 3:04 pm
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” He who controls the oil, controls the world, I will bet on Iraq!” by Yin F. Tse.
In 2006, I opened 2 Iraqi bank accounts with Warka Bank in Iraq. They pay 6-7% a year. Those 2 accounts are for my two kids, each with $35,000 and now the values have already 1.5x times more the US dollars term. With the accounts in this bank, I can also buy stocks too, but I choose not to do so, I decide that just to let the Iraqi Dinnars to appreciate or increase in value against the dollar. Back then, $35,000 Dollars could buy about 58,000,000 Dinnars (yes, 58 millions), now each account worths more than 100,000,000 Dinars. Dinar to Dollar exchanage rate is VERY stable now. At first, I doublt about myself, did I do the right thing? To flash back, That is the best investment idea I have made!
Excellent timing! That was what the presenter spoke of as being a key to creating monetary stability, that transition in 2006-2007 when the central bank bought Dinars to support that big move higher against the dollar that killed the worst of their import inflation problem — glad it worked out well for you. The Pepsi bottler in Iraq is a great story of local entrepreneurship taking over in front of that backdrop of emerging monetary stability and percolating growth (and war), at least as we heard the story told, but I haven’t looked very closely at the details yet.
With the predicted growth of oil importance from Iraq there must be a few producers that will benefit. Has anyone looked into this and found who is the best companies currently producing in Iraq?
I think it’s a great idea but these things are usually a very bumpy ride. Turquoise Partners is an investment fund specializing in Iran. It seemed like a great idea when they kicked off in 2005 since the country has a large, young population, plenty of resources, and a lowly valued market. The popularity of the anti-establishment Green Movement made it look even better by 2009 and Turquoise had strong returns for a couple of years. Of course we now know what happened– Ahmedinajad’s re-election, the nuclear program, and subsequent sanctions which have led to a collapse of the local currency. So Iraq is an interesting opportunity but not necessarily a smooth road. Probably a good thing to just average in over a period of a couple of years…
When Hussin was in power, the Dinar exchange rate was 1 Dinar to $3.05 US Dollar. As US invaded Iraq, it still worthed more than 1 US Dollar. The current exchange rate is 1 million Dinar equals to $857.63 US Dollar. My reason is that the value of the Dinar cannot stay this low forever, my kids now have more than 100,000,000 dinars in each and generates about 6 to 7% per year in Warka Bank in !raq. One tiny increases of the value of the Dinar, the result will be very positive. Of course it will take time that is why I opened the accounts for my kids only not for me because I am 63 years old.
When President Bush signed an excutive order in 2005 Americans could invest in Iraq, I took the action rightway. I was very glad what I did.
Final note: China invested Billion and Billion dollars helped Iraqi to open a second port in the south, and also a brand new refinery to export oil to China and the rest of the world.