Business brief
Corporate Control Fights and Defense Expansion Drive Israeli Business
Israel ranks second on the Big Mac Index as G City faces a takeover battle and Elbit deepens Gulf ties.
Business
Chaim Katzman's legal defense against Tzachi Abu's takeover play turns G City into a TASE battleground — testing controlling shareholder rights across Israeli real estate.
BackgroundG City is one of Israel's largest commercial real estate firms, managing premium shopping centers and mixed-use properties globally. Norstar Holdings serves as Katzman's primary investment vehicle for controlling the real estate conglomerate.
- Tzachi Abu's Ari Real Estate and partner Ispro agreed to acquire 26% of G City from Norstar with options to expand to 33%.
- Chaim Katzman initiated legal measures demanding full disclosure of the joint control agreements between Abu and Ispro.
- The transaction values G City at ₪2.55 billion, presenting a significant premium over current market equity valuations.
- Market traders expect continued equity volatility across G City, Norstar, and Ari Real Estate listings on the TASE.
Business
Leaked documents confirm Elbit Systems is embedding deep into Gulf security architectures — making advanced defense hardware a primary engine of Abraham Accords commercial integration.
BackgroundElbit Systems is Israel's largest publicly traded defense firm, manufacturing unmanned aerial systems, avionics, and electronic warfare suites. Commercial relations between Israeli defense vendors and Abraham Accords nations have expanded significantly since 2020.
- Documents detail proposed deliveries of Hermes 900 StarLiner UAVs and airborne self-protection defense suites.
- The negotiations correlate with a previously undisclosed $2.3 billion international contract finalized late last year.
- Elbit previously secured a $53 million contract to equip UAE Air Force refueling aircraft with laser missile protection.
- The leaked files illustrate deep industrial cooperation between Jerusalem defense firms and Gulf military procurement agencies.
Business
Sticky domestic inflation and shekel strength pushed Israel to #2 globally on the Big Mac Index — cementing Tel Aviv as one of the world's most expensive consumer hubs.
BackgroundThe Big Mac Index measures purchasing power parity by comparing fast-food costs worldwide. Israel's high domestic cost of living reflects elevated import tariffs, agricultural price controls, and concentrated retail distribution markets.
- A Big Mac in Israel now costs approximately ₪28.50 ($7.67 equivalent), compared to an average of $6.22 in the United States.
- The index indicates an implied 40% overvaluation of the Israeli shekel relative to purchasing power parity metrics.
- Local price increases were driven by rising food input costs, real estate rents, and domestic labor expenses.
- High consumer price points maintain cost-of-living pressures across Israeli retail and food service sectors.
Business
Plus500's U.S. futures launch bypasses American CFD bans — transforming the Haifa-based broker from a European retail outfit into a regulated U.S. exchange player.
BackgroundPlus500 is listed on the London Stock Exchange and maintains primary R&D operations in Haifa. Contract for Difference (CFD) trading is restricted for retail investors in the U.S., necessitating exchange-traded futures products for American expansion.
- Retail clients gain direct access to CME Micro Single Stock Futures covering major U.S. equity listings.
- The move diversifies Plus500's revenue base away from core European and Australian CFD trading operations.
- Platform integration utilizes Plus500's proprietary trading architecture developed by Israeli R&D engineering teams.
- Expansion into regulated U.S. derivatives markets places Plus500 in direct competition with Robinhood and Interactive Brokers.
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