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NON-RESIDENTS
Continued investments in government bonds in Israel and abroad, and sales of makam
Bonds and makam: In January, nonresidents invested around $200 million net in unlinked government bonds, and sold around $40 million net in makam. Preliminary figures for February indicate net investments of about $270 million in government bonds and sales of about $150 million in makam.
In January, the government completed the issue of dollar-denominated bonds abroad, totaling $2 billion in two maturity periods: $1 billion was issued at a yield of 3.2 percent for 10-and-a-half years (representing a spread of 125 basis points above the US Treasury 10-year security interest rate), and the same amount was issued at a yield of 4.6 percent for 30 years (representing a spread of 145 basis points above the US Treasury 30-year security interest rate).
Israeli shares: In January, nonresidents invested a net $340 million in shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), following net sales of about $90 million in December. Preliminary figures for February indicate net investment of about $90 million in TASE-traded shares by nonresidents.
Nonresidents' direct investment: In January, nonresidents' net direct investment in Israel via domestic banks totaled about $450 million, spread out among a large number of companies.
RESIDENTS
Increase in investment in foreign shares by institutional investors
Shares: In January, net investments by Israeli residents in foreign shares traded abroad totaled about $1.2 billion—about $1 billion by institutional investors, and about $230 million by households. In the past half year, institutional investors made net investments of about $4 billion in foreign shares.
Bonds: In January, residents sold a net $190 million in tradable bonds abroad—sales of about $280 million by the business sector were partially offset by net investments of about $60 million by household investors and about $30 million by the institutional investors.
Direct investment abroad: In January, residents sold about $20 million net in direct investment abroad.