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Tel Aviv stocks surge to record as Gaza peace hopes grow

Israeli shares jump after Trump unveils proposal to end the war, with banks and insurers leading gains and the TA-125 index hitting an all-time high.

A view of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. April 28, 2025. Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90.
A view of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. April 28, 2025. Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90.

Shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange surged to all-time highs Tuesday as investors welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s new plan to end the war in Gaza.

The benchmark TA-125 index closed up 3.1%, extending a rally that has pushed the index about 30% higher since the start of the year. The gains came after weeks of record-breaking trading in Tel Aviv as markets bet on prospects for regional stability and economic growth.

The rally capped a strong third quarter for Israel’s markets. On Tuesday, the Tel Aviv 35 Index rose 2.8% to close at a record 3,199.82 points, while the TA-125 finished at 3,250.03. Banks and insurers led the gains, with Bank Hapoalim climbing 4.1%, Leumi up 3.6% and Phoenix Financial soaring more than 7%.

Trading turnover reached more than 5.4 billion shekels ($1.6 billion) in equities Tuesday, while the shekel strengthened against both the dollar, with the Bank of Israel’s representative rate reaching 3.3060, the pound (4.4409 shekels) and the euro (3.8807 shekels). ICL Group was among the few notable decliners, slipping about 1.2%.

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