Wed: Discount Bank leads market rises

Israel Discount Bank rose strongly following "Globes" report yesterday that Bank Hapoalim is in talks to buy Discount Bank of New York.

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) rose today. The Tel Aviv 25 Index rose 0.30% to 1,228.95 points, the Tel Aviv 100 Index rose 0.30% to 1,086.32 points, but the BlueTech 50 Index fell 0.67% to 333.80 points. Turnover was NIS 800 million.

The TASE rose today, in line with gains on European markets and at the opening on Wall Street.

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 rose by up to 0.4%. The corporate bond benchmark Tel-Bond 20 Index was unchanged.

In the foreign currency market, the Bank of Israel set the shekel-dollar representative exchange rate at NIS 3.805/$, down 0.26% on yesterday's rate, and set the shekel-euro representative exchange rate at NIS 4.973/€, down 0.43%.

In the stock market, Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) continued to be a major focus of attention after the sale of control to Haim Saban and positive responses by analysts to the change in ownership. Partner fell 1.7% and rival mobile carrier Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) was down 1.3%. The Communications Index was down 0.3%.

In the banking sector, Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI) fell 0.7% but Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) strengthened 1%, while Israel Discount Bank (TASE: DSCT) rose 2.4% following publication by "Globes" yesterday that Hapoalim is in the hunt to buy Israel Discount Bank of New York.

Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) rose 0.2% following its report of a $40 million deal with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) for an Italian satellite project.

Mellanox Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:MLNX; TASE:MLNX) continued its slide losing another 1.7%. Another dual listed technology company LivePerson Inc. (Nasdaq: LPSN); TASE: LPSN) fell 6.9% after falling sharply on Wall Street yesterday.

The Insurance Index rose 1.1% with Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings Ltd. (TASE: MGDL) and Harel Insurance Investments and Financial Services Ltd. (TASE: HARL) rising 1.8% and 1.3% respectively.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 5, 2012

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

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