Investing in Israel: questions and answers
How Israel's market works, what its indices are, and the ways someone outside Israel can invest in it.
What is the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange?
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) is Israel's only stock exchange. It lists the shares of Israeli companies, government and corporate bonds, and funds. Prices are quoted in shekels, and share prices in agorot, one hundredth of a shekel; on this site every Tel Aviv price is shown in shekels. See today's market.
What is the TA-35?
The TA-35 is the index of the 35 largest companies on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange by market value: Israel's flagship index, and the one quoted when the news says “the Tel Aviv market” rose or fell. It replaced the TA-25 in 2017, and its members are reviewed periodically. The TA-35 and its members.
What is the TA-125?
The TA-125 is the broad index of the 125 largest companies on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: the 35 of the TA-35 plus the next 90, which make up the TA-90. It replaced the TA-100 in 2017. The TA-125 and its members.
Why are so many Israeli companies listed in New York?
Many Israeli technology and healthcare companies list on Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange to reach American investors and the deepest pool of capital for their industries. Some list only in New York; others are dual-listed and trade in Tel Aviv as well. Every Israeli company listed abroad.
How can I invest in Israeli companies from outside Israel?
There are several routes. Israeli companies listed on Nasdaq or NYSE can be bought through an ordinary US brokerage account, like any other share. Exchange-traded funds that track Israeli shares trade in the US. Some international brokers offer direct access to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. And State of Israel Bonds are sold to individual investors abroad. None of this is advice: what suits you depends on where you live, your taxes and your goals, so speak to a licensed adviser.
What are Israel Bonds?
Israel Bonds are debt securities issued by the State of Israel and sold to individual investors abroad; in the United States they are offered by the Development Corporation for Israel. Buying one is a loan to the State of Israel that is repaid with interest. They are a different thing from the government bonds that trade on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
What does the Bank of Israel's interest rate do?
The Bank of Israel sets the interest rate that steers borrowing costs across the Israeli economy, and moves it to keep inflation within its target range. Its decisions move the shekel, mortgage rates and share prices. The current rate, the next decision date and inflation are on the markets page.
Is Israel's economy only high-tech?
No. Technology is Israel's best-known export, but the Tel Aviv market is also banks, insurers, real estate, energy, retail and industry, and Israeli innovation reaches agriculture, water, medicine and defense. Every industry.
Where does ProIsrael Finance get its numbers?
Share prices are end-of-day closes from a market-data provider, not live quotes. The list of Israeli companies on US exchanges comes from their filings with the SEC. Exchange rates and the interest rate come from the Bank of Israel, and inflation from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics. Funding rounds and exits come from news reports, each linked to its source.
How does investing in Israel answer the boycott campaign?
The boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign asks people to withdraw from Israeli companies. Buying from them, working with them and investing in them does the opposite: it keeps capital, customers and partners flowing to the Israeli economy. Start with the companies, or read why we built this site.
Is this investment advice?
No. Nothing on ProIsrael Finance is a recommendation to buy or sell anything, and prices can be a day old. Read a company's own reports and speak to a licensed adviser before investing.