Israel Financial News

(This Nov. 24 story has been corrected to add weekly loss data in paragraph 2 and show that there was no weekly oil price gain in the headline and paragraph 1)

JERUSALEM (Reuters) — The Bank of Israel kept short-term borrowing rates unchanged for a fourth straight decision as expected on Monday, as policymakers remained focus on maintaining financial stability worried during Israel's war against Hamas.

Oil prices declined for a fourth day on Monday ahead of a meeting of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) and its allies, together known as OPEC+, later in the week. The member countries on November 30 will deliberate on supply curbs in 2024. The OPEC+ ministerial meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on Sunday, but was postponed to iron out differences with African nations as they had disagreed on supply cuts.

Elon Musk, who's been under fire over accusations of antisemitism flourishing on his social media platform X, paid a visit Monday to Israel, where he toured a kibbutz that was attacked last month by Hamas militants and was set to meet with top leaders. The billionaire and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the Kfar Azza kibbutz, which was stormed by Hamas militants on Oct. 7. Musk, wearing a protective vest and escorted by a phalanx of security personnel, used his phone to take photos or videos of the devastation, according to video released by Netanyahu's office.

Investing.com -- Retailers are expected to unveil deep Cyber Monday sales in a bid to persuade inflation-squeezed American consumers to open up their wallets ahead of the holidays. Meanwhile, markets will be monitoring shoppers' behavior as they try to parse out the Federal Reserve's future interest rate path. Elsewhere, Elon Musk is due to meet with Israel's president, while U.S. President Joe Biden will reportedly skip the upcoming COP28 climate conference.

Palestine's Gaza. On Monday, Israel said that it had reached an agreement in principle for using his SpaceX company's Starlink communications in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also due to meet Musk on Monday to discuss the security aspects of artificial intelligence and hold a live online discussion, Netanyahu's office said.

Tron. Quicker and cheaper than its larger rival Bitcoin, Tron has overtaken its rival as a platform for crypto transfers associated with groups designated as terror organisations by Israel, the United States and other countries, according to interviews with seven financial crime experts and blockchain investigations specialists.

Israel's fight against the funding of Iran-backed militant groups from Hamas to Hezbollah: A fast-growing crypto network called Tron. Quicker and cheaper than its larger rival Bitcoin, Tron has overtaken its rival as a platform for crypto transfers associated with groups designated as terror organizations by Israel, the United States and other countries, according to interviews with seven financial crime experts and blockchain investigations specialists.

Iran's navy on Monday added a destroyer capable of launching cruise missiles to its Caspian Sea fleet, state media reported. The 1,400-ton Deilaman destroyer, named for a town in north of Iran, is 95 metres (312 feet) long and 11 metres (36 feet) wide and is able to launch torpedoes while travelling at 30 knots (56 kph, 35 mph), the state-owned IRNA news agency said.

Vinay Kwatra held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Sunday. The talks focused on enhancing connectivity through the strategic Chabahar port and addressing the current situation in West Asia stemming from the conflict between Hamas and Israel. During his visit to Tehran, the foreign secretary also co-chaired a meeting of India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) alongside Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani.

Elon Musk landed in Tel Aviv on Monday, beginning a visit during which Israeli leaders plan to bring his attention to the plight of hostages held in war-torn Gaza and discuss rising antisemitism online, Reuters reported. Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office on Sunday announced that Musk would be coming to meet the head of state.

Benjamin Netanyahu monitored the first release of Hamas-held hostages while outside, their families in a Tel Aviv square gathered around Benny Gantz, his leading challenger for the top job. On camera Gantz, a former army chief and opposition leader who joined Netanyahu's war cabinet last month, pointedly asked a TV crew to leave him alone with the families. Photos published later showed him hugging individuals in the crowd. Facing a huge wave of criticism over his failure to prevent the shock Hamas infiltration of Israel on Oct.

seven weeks of Hamas captivity, information about the conditions of their confinement has emerged. The 58 hostages freed under a cease-fire deal over the past three days have largely stayed out of the public eye, with most still in hospitals. Nearly two months after Hamas militants dragged them into Gaza during a bloody cross-border attack on Israel that also killed 1,200 people, most freed hostages appear to be in stable physical condition.

Joe Biden said he hoped the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas can go on as long as hostages are being released, after the militant group freed 17 more people, including a 4-year-old Israeli-American girl. Hamas said it wanted to extend the pause in fighting, which will enter its fourth day and final agreed day on Monday, if serious efforts were made to increase the number of Palestinian detainees released by Israel. Thirty-nine teenage Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel on Sunday, taking the total since the truce began to 117. Hamas said it had handed over 13 Israelis, three Thais and one with Russian citizenship, and the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed it had successfully transferred them from Gaza on Sunday. Biden said the 4-year-old hostage, Abigail Edan, had witnessed her parents being killed by Hamas fighters during their Oct. 7 rampage into Israel and had been held since then. «What she endured is unthinkable,» Biden said at a news conference in the U.S. Abigail was on her way to the hospital for checks, Israel's Channel 13 said.

how to keep artificial intelligence safe from rogue actors, pushing for companies to create AI systems that are "secure by design." In a 20-page document unveiled Sunday, the 18 countries agreed that companies designing and using AI need to develop and deploy it in a way that keeps customers and the wider public safe from misuse. The agreement is non-binding and carries mostly general recommendations such as monitoring AI systems for abuse, protecting data from tampering and vetting software suppliers.

Israel after seven weeks of Hamas captivity, information about the conditions of their confinement has emerged. The 58 hostages freed under a cease-fire deal over the past three days have largely stayed out of the public eye, with most still in hospitals. Nearly two months after Hamas militants dragged them into Gaza during a bloody cross-border attack on Israel that also killed 1,200 people, most freed hostages appear to be in stable physical condition. Information about the conditions of their captivity has been tightly controlled, but family members of the released hostages have begun to share details about their loved ones' experiences.

Hamas released 17 hostages in Gaza, including a 4-year-old American girl, as part of a truce with Israel as Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners on the third day of the ceasefire. As reported by Reuters, the International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the successful transfer of the hostages, consisting of 13 Israelis, three Thais, and one individual with Russian citizenship, according to Hamas. According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the release of the hostages - part of a larger group captured when Hamas fighters rampaged through southern Israel on Oct.

Israeli hostages were released on November 24, followed by 13 more on November 25. Tel Aviv has also released 78 Palestinian prisoners so far. A fourth exchange is expected on Monday - the last day of the four-day cease-fire between the enemies.

Elon Musk, who is also accused by civil rights groups of amplifying anti-Jewish hatred on his X (formerly Twitter), will meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Israelis whose relatives have been held by Hamas in Gaza today, Monday, November 27. During the meeting, the Israeli President will emphasize the need to act to combat rising antisemitism online, Herzog's office announced on Sunday night, Reuters reported. The tech entrepreneur did not respond to requests for comment through spokespeople for Tesla and X, formerly known as Twitter.

By Jamie McGeever

Beetlejuice 2", the highly anticipated sequel to the 1980s iconic gothic horror, will be released in theatres. Often regarded as one of the most influential films in this genre, the original Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton, has maintained its allure as a cult classic with a counter-cultural aesthetic. Its enduring popularity is further heightened by a recent musical adaptation that has graced Broadway intermittently since 2018. Filming commenced in the UK on May 10, 2023, and encountered a temporary hiatus, just days away from completion, due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The scheduled release date for «Beetlejuice 2» is September 6, 2024, according to reports. While the full cast is yet to be unveiled, several key members have already been confirmed. Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are set to reprise their iconic roles as Beetlejuice and Lydia, respectively. Joining them is Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in 'Wednesday' and 'Scream', who will portray Lydia's daughter in this highly anticipated sequel. Meanwhile, Actor Jenna Ortega has exited «Scream VII», a day after Spyglass Media Group fired co-lead Melissa Barrera from the latest chapter in the horror film franchise over her social media posts referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Sources told entertainment website The Hollywood Reporter that Ortega's exit has nothing to do with Barrera's sacking. They said Ortega's representatives informed Spyglass before the actors' strike that the «Wednesday» star would not be returning for another «Scream» movie. According to multiple sources, Ortega either had no deal or, in the renegotiating of her option, asked what the movie company deemed was too much money.