In the midst of Israel’s Iran operation, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:TASE) board of directors headed by chairman Prof. Eugene Kandel convened to decide on a change to the TASE regulations so that trading will take place from Monday to Friday instead of Sunday to Thursday, as at present. The change, which is supported by the Israel Securities Authority and Bank of Israel, will come into effect at the start of 2026.
The change will bring the TASE into line with the trading days of the world’s main stock markets, which do not trade on Sundays. Trading on Sundays will be canceled and trading on Fridays will end at 2pm so that traders will have time to return home before the start of Shabbat. About six months ago, Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich announced that would approve the change in trading days.
The collective agreement with the stock exchange employees has been updated in preparation for the transition to the new trading week.
A move to increase accessibility for foreign investors
The decision by the TASE board of directors effectively launches the move that was first announced a little over a year ago. From the TASE perspective, the change in trading days is a strategic move that will help increase accessibility for global investors, increase their presence in the Israeli market, and contribute to the Israeli economy and local companies in particular.
TASE CEO Itay Ben Zeev told “Globes” at the end of last year, “This is a joint move by us with the Securities Authority and the Bank of Israel, which stems from the understanding that we are part of the world. The whole world trades from Monday to Friday, and we know from foreign investors that the fact that we are not open on Friday bothers them. In the long run, this will bring more foreign investors and increase the chance that we will be able to enter indexes like MSCI Europe. This will bring passive money to the market, which in turn will also attract active funds.”
The move has many supporters in the capital market, who claim, among other things, that a large part of trading is already done via apps, so that there will be no need for substantial changes in the personnel of trading bodies. On the other hand, changing trading days is expected to result in changes to existing employment agreements at banks, investment houses, insurance companies, and, as mentioned, at the TASE itself.
Livnat Mizrahi Rinsky, CEO of IBI Brokerage, a TASE member, said, “We welcome the change in trading days and its acceptance for foreign markets on Mondays and Fridays. We are confident that this will lead to an increase in trading volumes in the context of foreign client activity in Israel and in general.”
“This is an important and fundamental step both in terms of connecting the Israeli capital market and the stock exchange to the world and in terms of the exchange member’s activity with customers. The IBI exchange member is preparing to make the necessary adjustments to the various systems and will continue to provide our customers with the best tools to create an optimal customer experience.”
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on July 1, 2025.
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