Foreign investors continued buying Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) listed shares and selling government bonds in July 2013, the Bank of Israel reported today.
Foreign investors bought a net $320 million in TASE-listed shares in July, after buying a net $970 million in the first half of the year. The trend reversed in August, with initial figures pointing to net sales of $50 million in TASE-listed shares.
Foreign investors sold a net $310 million in TASE-listed government bonds in July, and a further net $170 million in August. However, net investment in makams (short-term Treasury notes) totaled $10 million in August, and net investment in government bonds traded abroad totaled $70 million.
Direct foreign investment totaled $230 million in July, spread among a large number of companies.
At the same time, net investment by Israelis in foreign shares totaled $1.54 billion in July. Institutional investors invested a net $1.2 billion in foreign shares in July, reversing the previous trend of $750 million in net sales in April-June. Net investment by households in foreign shares totaled $180 million in July, and net investment by the business sector totaled $160 million.
Israelis also invested a net $374 million in foreign bonds, including a net $290 million by institutional investors and a net $100 million by households. This was partly offset by a small amount of net by the business sector. Direct foreign investment by Israelis totaled $20 million in July, mostly by high-tech companies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 3, 2013
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