Banks

Tel Aviv trading resumes after a strong week for Israeli stocks as inflation stays below 2%. Meanwhile, Wall Street faces AI sector volatility and rising oil prices.

Despite a decline in bank investment advisor positions, Israeli capital in advised portfolios reached a peak of 485.6 billion shekels, signaling a shift to independent and external management.

Israeli bank interest spreads reveal wide gaps in loan pricing, with One Zero offering the lowest median rate at 6.09% and Mercantile Discount the highest at 11.186%.

Discount Bank's weekly review highlights stabilizing bond markets, persistent fiscal concerns in France, and continued resilience in Israel's high-tech sector despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Israel's catering industry faces severe economic strain over three years after October 7, 2023, battling surging operational costs, canceled corporate events, and strict bank credit restrictions.

The Q3 2026 earnings season for major U.S. banks begins this week, shedding light on high interest rates, consumer health, and credit risks.

A Lod court approved a class-action lawsuit against four major Israeli banks over unpaid current-account interest, exposing them to billions in potential damages and dividing legal experts.

Israeli banks are preparing for potential UK and international sanctions regarding settlement activities, warning that global financial institutions might tighten compliance checks even before formal legislation is enacted.

Three years after October 7, Israel's economy and financial markets have shown unexpected resilience, with the Tel Aviv 125 index surging 120% and the shekel strengthening significantly.

Project Shahar helps bereaved families navigate complex financial bureaucracy to recover millions of shekels left behind by soldiers fallen in the Iron Swords war.

Foreign credit card spending in Israel nearly matched pre-war levels in early 2026, reaching 9.7 billion shekels, despite a 78% drop in actual tourist arrivals.

AI agents like Meta's Muse could trigger bank runs by automatically shifting household cash to high-yield accounts, threatening cheap bank deposits.

Senior banking executives in Israel are increasingly leaving traditional financial institutions for lucrative positions in the non-bank sector, driven largely by executive pay caps and abundant market opportunities.

The Central District Court approved a major class-action lawsuit against four major Israeli banks for failing to pay interest on current accounts, with damages estimated at over 15 billion shekels.

The US crypto industry faced a major setback as the CLARITY Act failed in the Senate due to disputes over stablecoin rewards and banking opposition.

Leader Capital Markets warns that bank exposure to real estate developers has surged to 511 billion shekels amid a slowdown in apartment sales, raising systemic risks.

Jefferies issued a bullish report on Israeli banks, citing strong macro fundamentals and attractive valuations. Bank Hapoalim was upgraded to 'Buy', alongside target prices for major lenders.

Deutsche Bank analysts highlight a critical global week for central banks, as rising oil prices and inflation pressures challenge the Federal Reserve, BoE, and Bank of Japan.

The Reserve Bank of India rejected Tata Sons' request to avoid an IPO, bringing the Indian conglomerate closer to a historic public market listing valued over $120 billion.

Senior Israeli banking executives warn that expanding British and European sanctions over West Bank settlements could soon target Israeli financial institutions, risking international credit card blocks and trade isolation.

Thirty-seven European banks from 15 countries have launched the Qivalis project to develop a euro-pegged stablecoin on the public Ethereum network, challenging dollar dominance in digital finance.

The world's largest banks, including Goldman Sachs and Citi, are uniting to create a joint digital currency that will threaten the dominance of leading companies in the industry, and the official date has already been revealed.

Regulation has made exiting a bank investment portfolio relatively simple, but transferring assets out of an investment house can cost thousands of shekels. Despite the rise in independent trading, banks still dominate the market.

The Association of Investment Houses has appealed to the Capital Markets Authority and the Supervisor of Banks with a demand to re-examine pension distribution fees. The association claims: while management fees have plummeted, the bank commission has been stuck for two decades at a rate of 0.25% and prevents objective advice in default funds. CEO Nimrod Sapir: "The time has come to update the...

The US banking system is launching an unprecedented technological project to counter the rise of cryptocurrencies, aiming to establish a bank-owned nationwide blockchain network by 2027.

Bank of Israel data reveals gaps in interest rates and mortgage tracks between the major banks. Experts explain why the average interest rate is misleading, how banks profit from each track, and what really determines the best deal for the customer.

Amid escalating Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian soil, cash withdrawals from banks have reached record highs. Citizens fear the Kremlin may nationalize deposits to fund the war, leading to liquidity issues across the financial sector.

The banks filed an appeal to the Competition Tribunal against the Commissioner's decision to declare them a concentrated group, as well as against the directives set in the field of deposits. Industry experts estimate that the legal process could last up to two years. What will happen in the interim period until a decision is reached, and what are the chances of the decision being overturned?

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank closed the second quarter of 2026 with a 1.7% decrease in net profit to 1.43 billion shekels. Moderating inflation and lower interest rates have curbed profit growth, while the bank's mortgage portfolio faces mounting risks.

Four of Israel's five largest banks have filed an appeal with the Competition Tribunal, challenging the Competition Authority's decision to designate them as a concentration group. The banks argue that the regulator's intervention contradicts the Bank of Israel's position and could harm customers.

The Israeli banking sector is entering a new macroeconomic environment where falling interest rates and moderating inflation make profit generation more challenging, yet major banks continue to report strong financial results.

Savers in the 'Savings for Every Child' program are shifting funds from banks to provident funds. By the end of 2025, the share of bank-managed accounts dropped to 16%.

Trading in Tel Aviv will open against the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Morning in the world: positive trend in Asia and New York led by chip stocks. After yesterday's excellent report from Bank Hapoalim, record profits for Bank Leumi. Meitav: the corporate bond market is showing complacency and ignoring risks. US inflation will be released this afternoon. Investment...

According to Bank of Israel data, the average interest rate on deposits for six months to a year fell in July to 3.59%, compared to 3.94% in April. The gaps between banks are significant, and the interest rate on deposits ranges from 2.9% to 6%. While interest rate cuts are quickly rolling over to deposits, the decline in mortgages is more moderate.

The Israeli financial system is targeting children with new digital tools and educational content. However, there is a fundamental conflict of interest in letting banks define financial literacy for the next generation.

Dual-listed chip and software company stocks are expected to lead the opening in the green following a strong week on Wall Street. This week: almost all banks are reporting, and the US CPI will be released on Wednesday. What is expected today?

Hapoalim, Leumi, Discount and Beinleumi are reporting this week, alongside Elbit, Strauss, Cellcom and Isracard. What is the market looking for, and why is it important to you even if you haven't bought a single share directly?

The US labor market saw a surprise job loss in July, easing concerns over interest rate hikes and driving a 5% weekly gain for the Nasdaq. In Tel Aviv, the focus shifts to earnings reports from major banks, alongside companies like Camtek, Elbit, and Strauss.

Giant CEOs, retail chain owners, and the most expensive lawyers in Israel — Adv. Yael Shainin has interrogated them all in court. Summarizing five years as the legal advisor to the Competition Authority, she notes that while businesses are becoming more creative, the regulator remains on their trail.

The TA-35 index climbed by about 1% while the TA-90 index continues to lag behind in the shadow of weakness in real estate stocks. Tower surged by 9% and led the chip gains, and Palo Alto rose by about 3% on its first day in the local indices. Towards next week: the market is waiting for the US employment report and is preparing for a step up in the local earnings season.

Bank of Israel Supervisor Daniel Hahiashvili has released a draft circular allowing banks to report under US GAAP. This move removes a major barrier to dual listing on US stock exchanges.

The bank index on the stock exchange, which had been stagnant for most of the year, surged by 10% in July. Investors attribute this to a correction following a period of weakness and expectations of strong financial reports for the second quarter.

Following the Competition Authority's request to review correspondence regarding the replacement of Eitan Madmon, the Association of Banks has frozen the search process. The regulator's intervention was revealed yesterday.

The public enjoys banks’ entertaining campaigns, but is left with the mortgage and the interest on deposits. Will new reforms and the entry of competitors into the field lead to a turnaround? Globes brand index.