TEHRAN- During the past Iranian calendar week (ended on Friday), 3.023 million tons of commodities worth $765 million were traded at Iran Mercantile Exchange (IME).

As reported by the IME’s Public Relations and International Affairs Department, the exchange traded on its metals and minerals trading floor 2.751 million tons of commodities valued at almost $608 million.

Commodities sold on this floor included 1,029,246 tons of cement, 836,000 tons of iron ore, 725,274 tons of steel, 140,000 tons of sponge iron, 21,835 tons of zinc, 11,775 tons of aluminum, 6,500 tons of copper, 190 tons of molybdenum concentrate, 33 tons of precious metals concentrate, 40 kg of gold bars and 164 Dignity SUV automobiles.

Furthermore, the IME saw on both domestic and export pits of its oil and petrochemical trading floor 245,323 tons of commodities worth nearly $147 million.

The IME's customers purchased on this floor 92,606 tons of polymeric products, 33,280 tons of vacuum bottom, 19,000 tons of lube cut, 26,996 tons of chemicals, 8,400 tons of sulfur, 5,406 tons of base oil, 240 tons of insulation and 65,058 tons of bitumen.

Last but not least was the IME's side market with 27,035 tons of commodities traded on it.

The value of trades at Iran Mercantile Exchange rose 102 percent, and the volume of trades at the exchange increased 128 percent in the past Iranian calendar year 1400 (ended on March 20), which was the highest level of growth in the history of the exchange since its establishment.

Statistical data show that in the past year, in addition to new records in the volume and value of trades of different products, 10 major records in total value and physical market trades were registered. In a way that besides the total value of trades, the volume and value of physical market trades, the volume, and value of industrial products and petrochemicals trades, the value of oil products trades and the volume and value of side market trades all hit records.

IME is one of the four major stock markets of Iran, the other three markets are Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), Iran's over-the-counter (OTC) market known also as Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), and Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX).

MA/MA