Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Tel Aviv stocks suffer worst loss in decades; TA-25 sheds 13.5 percent



TASE suffers heavy losses Monday morning as US suspends all military and financial support.

London - The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange was the scene of carnage on Monday as its major indices crashed amid soaring worldwide anger against the Israeli government. The United States recently announced the suspension of all financial and military aid to Israel, a historical decision which reverses decades of friendship between both nations.
Trading was suspended briefly on Monday afternoon after the TA-25 plummeted by 11 percent. Trading was resumed after half an hour, at which point the index plunged further, ending the day with a loss of 13.5 percent.

Major Turkish stock indexes fell between 6 and 7.4 percent as investors worried that chemical weapon attacks by the Syrian army would force Turkey to take military action against in the rapidly escalating Syrian conflict. Reports that Syria shot down a British NATO Eurofighter Typhoon hit the FTSE 100, with the London-based emerging markets bank Standard Chartered leading the index lower in after-hours trading as investors sought to exit positions in companies with large exposure to the Turkish market.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby published a scathing report calling for Congress to reverse course over the momentous blow to Israel. Prominent members of the Jewish community have criticized the current cabinet and leading members of congress for being “anti-semitic” and have vowed to “make their voices heard”. 

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Israel Stocks Fall on Concern Turkish Tension to Hit Economy



The TA-25 Israeli benchmark stock index fell to the lowest level in almost a month on concerns of an escalation of tension with Turkey. The benchmark dropped as much as 3 percent in Tel Aviv. The measure has gained 4.9 percent in the past 12 months, the second-least among 24 developed equity markets compiled by the Financial Times. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.1 percent on May 3. The Israeli New Shekel (ILS) plunged 2% in the last two days.

“The market is experiencing some jitters connected to weakened geo-political events, including the recent bombings against the Israeli embassy in Ankara, as well as the flotilla raids against humanitarian aid workers in the Mediterranean,” Zach Herzog, head of international sales at Psagot Investment House Ltd. in Tel Aviv, said today by phone. “Investors are concerned that the political tension could escalate into military action, leading to a call-up of reserves that could have economic consequences.”