Stock Markets May 15, 2026 10:55 AM

Tel Aviv Benchmark Slides 2.08% as Financials and Insurers Weigh on Market

TA 35 ends lower with Tower Semiconductor among few gainers; energy and gold prices move sharply

By Derek Hwang TSEM NVMI ENLT

Israeli equities closed lower on Friday, with the TA 35 index dropping 2.08% as declines in Insurance, Financials and Banking stocks led losses. Tower Semiconductor was among the few gainers, while several mid-cap and renewable names recorded double-digit-point declines. Commodities and currency moves were pronounced, with crude and Brent oil rising and gold futures falling.

Tel Aviv Benchmark Slides 2.08% as Financials and Insurers Weigh on Market
TSEM NVMI ENLT

Key Points

  • TA 35 closed down 2.08% as losses in the Insurance, Financials and Banking sectors weighed on the market.
  • Tower Semiconductor (TASE:TSEM) was among the few gainers, rising 0.87% to 81,200.00 and reaching a five-year high.
  • Energy and precious metals prices diverged: crude and Brent oil rose sharply while June gold futures fell; FX moves included a stronger USD versus ILS and a higher US Dollar Index Futures.

Stocks in Israel finished Friday's session in negative territory, driven by broad weakness across the Insurance, Financials and Banking sectors. The benchmark TA 35 index closed down 2.08% on the day.

On the TA 35, Tower Semiconductor Ltd (TASE:TSEM) was one of the better performers, finishing up 0.87% - an increase of 700.00 points - to close at 81,200.00. By contrast, Next Vision Stabilized Systems (TASE:NXSN) slipped 0.70% or 200.00 points to 28,510.00, while Nova (TASE:NVMI) ended the session down 1.06% or 1,690.00 points at 157,450.00.

The steepest declines were recorded by Mega Or (TASE:MGOR), which lost 5.10% or 3,400.00 points to finish at 63,300.00. Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd (TASE:ENLT) also retreated 5.10% or 1,340.00 points to 24,950.00, and Dimri (TASE:DIMRI) fell 4.34% or 1,740.00 points to close at 38,380.00.

Market breadth was negative: decliners outnumbered advancers by 350 to 91, and 110 shares finished unchanged on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Notably, Tower Semiconductor climbed to a five-year high during the session, finishing up 0.87% at 81,200.00.


Commodities trading showed sizable moves. Crude oil for June delivery rose 3.41% - an increase of 3.45 - to $104.62 a barrel. Brent oil for July delivery advanced 3.11% or 3.29 to $109.01 a barrel. In contrast, the June Gold Futures contract declined 2.51% or 117.83 to trade at $4,567.47 a troy ounce.

In foreign exchange and dollar measures, the USD/ILS rate increased 0.74% to 2.92, while EUR/ILS rose 0.44% to 3.40. The US Dollar Index Futures were higher as well, up 0.40% at 99.13.


The session underlined uneven performance across sectors, with select technology and semiconductor exposure holding ground even as financial-related groups and several renewable and mid-cap names led declines. Movements in oil, gold and currency markets were pronounced during the same trading day, reflecting divergent pressures across commodities and exchange rates.

Risks

  • Sector concentration - Continued weakness within Insurance, Financials and Banking could exert additional downward pressure on the TA 35.
  • Commodity volatility - Sharp moves in crude and Brent could influence energy-related companies and broader market sentiment.
  • Exchange-rate shifts - A stronger USD/ILS and higher US Dollar Index Futures may affect exporters, importers and currency-sensitive sectors.

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