The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) rose today. The Tel Aviv 25 Index fell 0.96% to 652.56 points, the Tel Aviv 100 Index fell 0.6% to 594.06 points, and the Tel-Tech 2.19% to 144.27 points. Turnover was NIS 1.09 billion.
In the bond market, prices for index-linked government bonds rose slightly, but prices for shekel bonds fell by up to 0.3%. Prices for variable-interest Gilon bonds were unchanged. Prices for corporate bonds continued to rise. The Tel-Bond 20 Index rose 1.1% and the Tel-Bond 40 Index rose 1.5%.
In the foreign currency market, the shekel-dollar exchange rate was unchanged at NIS 4.065/$, and the shekel-euro exchange rate fell 0.76% to NIS 5.195/€.
In the stock market, energy shares continued to climb. Isramco Ltd. (Nasdaq: ISRL; TASE: ISRA.L) rose 23.9% in heavy trading to pass its all-time high reached two weeks ago. The company's partners in the Tamar natural gas prospect, Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) subsidiaries Delek Drilling LP (TASE: DEDR.L) rose 8.4% and Avner Oil and Gas LP (TASE: AVNR.L) rose 9.1%.
IDB Holding Corp. Ltd. (TASE:IDBH) subsidiary IDB Development Corp. Ltd. (TASE: IDBD) also continued to attract attention following last week's offer to purchase at NIS 36 per share by February 12. After hitting NIS 38 per share, it fell 3.7% today to NIS 37.10.
Shufersal Ltd. (TASE:SAE;Pink Sheets:SSLTF) rose 3.8% today to NIS 13.30. The company is due to publish its financials for the fourth quarter and full-year of 2008 next Tuesday, and IBI Investment House today said that the recession will have little impact on the supermarket chain.
While consumers are benefiting from the 55% plunge in global oil prices during the fourth quarter, Israel's two refineries are stuck with inventory bought at high prices, and Clal Finance Batucha expects them to report losses as a result. Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL) fell 3.7% today and Paz Oil Company Ltd. (TASE:PZOL), which owns Paz Ashdod Refinery Ltd., fell 1.4%.
Telecommunications shares were mostly higher today. ISPs Internet Gold Golden Lines Ltd. (Nasdaq: IGLD; TASE:IGLD) rose 0.9% and NetVision Ltd. (TASE: NTSN) rose 3.6%. Cellular provider Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) rose 0.5%, but Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) fell 1.7%.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 2, 2009
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