Hydrocarbon isomerization catalyst and process

A catalytic composite consisting essentially of a refractory inorganic oxide having combined therewith, on a Friedel-Crafts metal halide-free basis, about 0.01 to about 2 weight percent platinum or palladium, about 0.01 to about 2 weight percent iridium, about 0.01 to about 5 weight percent germanium, and about 0.1 to about 3.5 weight percent halogen in halide form, calculated on an elemental basis, and about 1.0 to about 100 weight percent Friedel-Crafts metal halide, wherein the platinum or palladium, iridium and germanium are uniformly dispersed throughout the refractory inorganic oxide, wherein substantially all of the platinum or palladium and iridium are present in the corresponding metallic states and wherein substantially all of the germanium is present in the form of the oxide, sulfide, halide, oxychloride or aluminate.