<p dir="LTR"><span>Financial Tribune- Tehran Stock Exchange’s main index TEDPIX shed 2,989 points or 3.7% over the last Iranian year (March 2016-17) to end at 77,230. However, the smaller over-the-counter exchange Iran Fara Bourse’s main index IFX gained 70 points or 8.7% to close the year at 875.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Over 256.77 billion shares valued at $16.8 billion were traded at TSE, with the number of traded shares and annual trade value grew by 12.6% and 13.7% respectively.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>TSE’s First Market Index lost 2,544 points or 4.5% during the year to stand at 54,460 and the Second Market Index dropped 3,897 points or 3.3% to reach 166,371.4.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>At IFB, more than 80.4 billion securities valued at $12.13 billion were traded, indicating a 4% drop and a 2% rise in the number of traded shares and trade value respectively. IFB’s market cap added $2.12 billion or 8% to reach $27.55 billion.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>More than 14.8 billion securities worth $871.5 million were traded in IFB’s First Market, registering a 24% growth in the number of traded shares and a 1% downturn in trade value. The Second Market registered a 19% decline and 13% growth in traded shares and trade value respectively compared to the previous year, as it traded 25.7 billion securities worth $2.5 billion.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Getting Off to Good Start</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The two main Iranian exchanges started off the new Iranian year already with modest gains. TEDPIX added 354 points or 0.5% during the trading week that ended March 28 and stood at 77,584. The IFX added 12 points or 1.4% to close at 888.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>TSE witnessed the trading of 2.26 billion shares valued at $133.6 million during the week. The number of traded shares and weekly trade value grew by 79% and 10% respectively.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Its First Market Index gained 68 points or 0.1% to end at 54,528 and the Second Market Index advanced by 1,770 points or 1.06% to close at 168,141.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>IFB traded 755 million securities valued at $206.15 million, with the number of traded shares and trade value dropping by 58% and 55% respectively. IFB’s market cap gained $415 million or 1.5% to $27.97 billion.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The IFB’s First Market witnessed the trading of 118 million securities valued at $6.5 million, indicating an 86% and 87% decline in the number of traded securities and trade value respectively.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Some 166 million securities valued at $20.2 million were traded in the Second Market, indicating a 73% and 74% downturn respectively.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The ‘industrial contracting’ group of IFB-listed industries had the highest weekly rise in share value (13%). ‘Chemical products’ (13%) and ‘base metals’ (13%) came next.</span></p>