Bi-Weekly Review: 24 March- 4 April 2013

Bi-Weekly Review: 24 March- 4 April 2013

Trading on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) during the last two weeks was marked by declines in most leading TASE indices.

TA-25

The TA-25 index decreased 0.8% over the last two weeks, bringing year-to-date increase to 3.7%.

TA-100

The TA-100 index decreased 0.9% over the last two weeks, bringing year-to-date increase to 4.3%.

Government Bonds

This week the Ministry of Finance (MoF) floated US $0.4 billion government bonds in an offering on the local market. In the first quarter of 2013 the MoF raised US $5.1 billion in public bond offerings.

BOI Interest Rates

The Bank of Israel left interest rates unchanged, fourth months in a roll at 1.75% per annum.

Unemployment

Figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics indicate that unemployment has risen from 6.5% on January to 6.7% on February 2013.

Sector Indices

	2 WEEK Period	YTD 2013
TA Bluetech-50	-2.8%	-3.8%
TA Banks	-0.6%	0.5%
TA Real Estate-15	0.1%	8.5%

Foreign Exchange

	2 WEEK Period	YTD 2013
Dollar/NIS	-1.0%	-2.7%
Euro/NIS	-2.0%	-5.5%

Facts & Figures

The Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange features in March 2013:

· 528 companies listing equities (Ex. ETNs).

· 445 index-tracking products.

· 34 series of government bonds.

· 87 Series of Institutional bonds.

· 649 series of corporate bonds.

· 1,299 mutual funds.

· Market Cap. (US$ billions)

o Equities - 175

o Government bonds – 126

o Corporate bonds - 101

About TASE

Established in September 1935, the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange is Israel’s sole securities exchange, offering an increasingly sophisticated range of products to investors, including equity, corporate bonds, treasury bills and notes, index products and derivatives.

International

In recent years, TASE has enhanced its international presence, signing Memoranda of Understanding with the London Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, NYSE-Euronext the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and Toronto Stock Exchange.