Israel's stock market finished higher on Friday, with the TA-35 index closing up 1.00% as gains across several sectors outweighed declines. The Insurance, Technology and Financials groups contributed notably to the advance.
Market movers
The top-performing name on the TA-35 was ICL Israel Chemicals Ltd (TASE:ICL), which rose 6.13% - a gain of 108.00 points - to finish at 1,870.00 at the close. Tower Semiconductor Ltd (TASE:TSEM) followed, adding 4.94% or 2,900.00 points to reach 61,600.00. Renewable energy player Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd (TASE:ENLT) also posted a strong session, climbing 4.60% or 1,150.00 points to end at 26,150.00.
On the downside, NICE Ltd (TASE:NICE) registered the steepest decline, falling 4.04% or 1,160.00 points to close at 27,540.00. Dimri (TASE:DIMRI) dropped 3.03% or 1,360.00 points to 43,510.00, while Strauss Group (TASE:STRS) eased 1.61% or 210.00 points to 12,850.00.
Advancers outnumbered decliners on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange by 298 to 170, and 83 stocks finished unchanged.
Notable lower print
NICE's closing price of 27,540.00 marked a fall to five-year lows, reflecting the session's heaviest single-stock retreat in percentage terms.
Commodities and currencies
In commodity markets, crude oil for June delivery rose 0.54%, adding $0.51 to settle at $95.32 a barrel. Brent oil for July delivery increased 1.35%, or $1.35, to $101.41 a barrel. Meanwhile, the June Gold Futures contract gained 0.36%, or $17.04, to trade at $4,727.94 a troy ounce.
On the foreign exchange front, the U.S. dollar weakened versus the shekel, with USD/ILS down 0.33% to 2.90. EUR/ILS was essentially unchanged, moving 0.08% to 3.42. The U.S. Dollar Index Futures slipped 0.16% to 97.79.
Implications
The day's roster of winners and losers underscores sector-level dispersion within the Israeli market, where resource-focused and technology-linked firms posted meaningful gains while some established software and consumer-oriented names experienced pullbacks. Rising oil and Brent prices, alongside higher gold futures, signaled strength in certain commodity markets even as the dollar eased against the shekel.
Key points
- TA-35 closed up 1.00%, led by gains in Insurance, Technology and Financials sectors.
- ICL, Tower Semiconductor and Enlight were the session's largest advancers on the TA-35.
- NICE, Dimri and Strauss posted the steepest declines; NICE fell to five-year lows.
Risks and uncertainties
- Individual stock volatility: Several TA-35 constituents recorded large single-day moves, which could indicate elevated idiosyncratic risk for investors in those names.
- Commodity price sensitivity: Movements in crude and Brent oil and gold may influence sectors sensitive to commodity prices, including energy-linked and resource companies.
- Currency fluctuations: Changes in USD/ILS and EUR/ILS add an element of FX risk for cross-border investors and exporters.