The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) fell today. The Tel Aviv 25 Index fell 1.22% to 1,203.74 points, the Tel Aviv 100 Index fell 1.10% to 1,074.03 points, and the BlueTech 50 Index fell 1.20% to 300.16 points. Turnover was NIS 913.8 million.
A late plunge sent the TASE sharply lower, despite gains on European markets and a mixed opening on Wall Street. The Tel Aviv 25 Index fell 2.1% in the short trading week
In the foreign currency market, the Bank of Israel set the shekel-dollar representative exchange rate at NIS 3.623/$, down 0.03% on yesterday's rate, and set the shekel-euro representative exchange rate at NIS 4.733/€, down 0.54%.
In the bond market, long-term Shahar unlinked shekel government bonds rose by up to 0.1% and long term Galil CPI-linked government bonds ranged between losses of 0.1% and gains of 0.2%. The corporate bond benchmark Tel-Bond 20 Index fell 0.04%.
In the stock market, Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) and Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL) bucked the market with gains of 1.3% and 1%, respectively. Bezeq had the day's biggest turnover of NIS 75.2 million.
The Banking Index fell another 1.4% today, led by a 3.2% drop by Israel Discount Bank (TASE: DSCT) and 2.5% drop by Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (TASE:MZTF). Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) fell 0.9% and Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI) fell 1.4%.
The one-day rally at Israel Chemicals Ltd. (TASE: ICL) and its parent company Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO) ended, and they fell 2.5% and 3.1%, respectively.
On the Tel Aviv 100 Index, the insurance index fell 1.3%, led by a 3.3% drop by The Phoenix Holdings Ltd. (TASE: PHOE1;PHOE5).
BiolineRX Ltd. (Nasdaq: BLRX); TASE:BLRX) fell 6.7%, correcting downward from yesterday's 7.4% gain.
Shefa Yamim Ltd. (TASE: SEFA) rose 8.4% to complete a 45% jump in two days, after publishing an assessment of the value of diamonds which may be found in its license area.
IDB Holding Corp. Ltd. (TASE:IDBH) fell 4%, reducing it market cap to NIS 470 million.
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) fell 5.4%, on news that the cabinet is set to approve the open skies agreement with the EU on Sunday.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 18, 2013
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013