Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the rescheduling of the days on which the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange will operate – to Monday to Friday instead of Sunday to Thursday.

Friday’s trading will end at 2 p.m. to account for Shabbat.

The previous trading was from Sunday to Thursday. Friday's trading, however, will end at 2 p.m. so that Shabbat will still be observed.

Smotrich visited the TASE on Monday. According to Ynet, his representative said the switching of the trading days was to “adapt the Israeli economic market to international standards.”

Ittai Ben-Zeev, TASE’s CEO, hosted Smotrich during his visit.

Finance Minister and Head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, December 9, 2024 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Finance Minister and Head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, December 9, 2024 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Change to happen in over a year

Maariv reported that the change was expected to take effect in early 2026. It added that the move received broad support from both local and international market players.
According to the publication, many of them emphasized the advantages of the move.
They said, for example, that it would improve accessibility for global investors – because adapting trading days to global standards would allow foreign investors to operate more easily in the local market.
Increased contribution to more accurate pricing and improved market efficiency were more reasons listed in favor of the change.
Supporters also said the revised schedule could increase the chance of future integration of Israeli securities into leading world indices, as this will allow for an integration into international stock market indices.
“During the longest war in the country’s history, the stock exchange demonstrated impressive resilience, strength, and growth,” Ben-Zeev said.
“The move to the Monday to Friday trading days is an opportunity to leverage its advantages in the global financial arena,” he added.
“Adapting the exchange’s activities to the world will open a window for broader international investments, strengthen the attractiveness of Israeli companies, and accelerate the growth of the local capital market," Ben-Zeev said.