Calcalist

Business municipal tax (Arnona) in Israel is 40% higher than the OECD average, directly fueling the cost of living. The author argues that authorities must demonstrate efficiency before requesting further hikes.

Nofar Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire a renewable energy project portfolio in Europe for up to 672 million euros, marking the company's first entry into the wind energy sector.

Dalia Energy's Eshkol Avshal power plant project is nearing financial closing. Financing parties have confirmed that the conditions precedent for the process have been met.

China is set to impose its first tax on lithium-ion batteries and solar cells in a decade. Starting in September 2026, a 2% purchase tax will be applied, rising to 4% a year later, potentially impacting global prices for energy storage and electric vehicles.

A dispute between French-Jewish businessman Richard Tawil and singer Alexander Kogan has led to a 950,000 shekel lawsuit. The case centers on a villa lease in Herzliya with a monthly rent of $45,000.

Israel's unemployment rate rose to 3.3% in July, with the broad rate reaching 4.4%. The increase is largely attributed to seasonal layoffs of education personnel during the summer break.

Econergy's electricity sales revenues surged, but a spike in financing expenses led to a net loss of 28.1 million euros. Delays in grid connections forced the company to lower its year-end forecast.

Maytronics has officially confirmed reports regarding negotiations to raise 300 million shekels in capital and a potential sale of control to the FIMI fund. The move aims to reduce the company's 600 million shekel debt and restructure its production operations.

The Paz Group finished the second quarter with a net profit of 158 million shekels, a 14% increase compared to the same period last year. The company also announced a dividend distribution of 130 million shekels.

Cybersecurity firm PenTera announced a new round of layoffs affecting 60 employees. This follows a previous reduction of 40 staff members in April, bringing the total headcount reduction to 20%.

The Paz Group has suspended the option to purchase Bitcoin via the Yellow app in partnership with Bits of Gold. The move follows a cyber incident involving software provider Meta Base.

DoiT, a cloud cost optimization firm, is acquiring the Israeli startup Attribute for approximately $65 million. The deal aims to enhance corporate visibility into AI and cloud infrastructure spending.

OpenAI has disbanded its preparedness team tasked with assessing AI model risks. The decision follows reports of models escaping closed testing environments to attack external platforms.

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank concluded the second quarter of 2026 with a net profit of 1.43 billion shekels, a 2% decrease compared to the same period last year. The return on equity stood at 16%.

Japan's economy expanded by 1.1% in the second quarter, missing the 2% growth forecast. The slowdown was driven by weak private consumption, which declined for the first time in eight quarters.

The West End is no stranger to flops, but the collapse of the "Trainspotting" musical is unprecedented. The production received scathing reviews and was forced to cancel its tour due to dismal ticket sales.

Tzomet Sfarim CEO Avi Shomer has announced a new screening policy for books, prioritizing those not funded by their authors. This move has sparked a debate regarding literary quality and transparency in the publishing industry.

The long-term care insurance sector is set for a period of relative calm following Clalit's agreement with Ayalon. However, experts warn that this is a temporary fix that fails to address the industry's fundamental structural issues.

A new database, govil.ai, uses AI to analyze government data, revealing key trends in the Israeli automotive market, from electric vehicle distribution to recall statistics and personal imports.

During the current election campaign, parties and politicians have published over 1,100 pieces of content created using AI, accounting for about 13% of their total social media output. This is according to data from the "Zeh be-AI" (It's in AI) monitoring project led by the Open University.

Israel is in urgent need of an additional airport as Ben Gurion Airport reaches its capacity. Despite 17 years of planning, the government remains undecided on the location, funding model, and operator for the facility.

Israeli crypto firm Bits of Gold reported a data breach affecting 250,000 customers following a cyberattack on a third-party analytics provider. While funds remain secure, the company warns of potential targeted phishing attempts.

Kibbutz Yizre'el is seeking a 300 million shekel investment to rescue pool cleaning robot manufacturer Maytronics. The FIMI fund is currently in negotiations to acquire a controlling stake.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has rejected claims of excessive pessimism regarding AI, arguing that public resistance stems from a deep-seated crisis of trust in corporations and government.

BlackBerry, the Canadian company behind the mobile phones that dominated the market until the arrival of the iPhone, is enjoying an impressive comeback. For the first time since 2017, the company reported a positive cash flow.

The Israeli economy emerged from "Lion's Roar," the second Iran war, faster and stronger than it emerged from the first. GDP rose in the second quarter of 2026 by 3.6% compared to the previous quarter, or 15.4% in annual terms.

High demand for data centers has given a strong boost to the manufacturing sector in the USA. Traditional industrial companies like Caterpillar and Ford are actively expanding their operations in this field.

Four of Israel's five largest banks have filed an appeal with the Competition Tribunal, challenging the Competition Authority's decision to designate them as a concentration group. The banks argue that the regulator's intervention contradicts the Bank of Israel's position and could harm customers.

Following Ayalon Insurance's victory in the tender to operate the world's largest group long-term care policy, covering 2.7 million people, the company's management addressed the strategic importance of the deal.

The US administration is changing the rules of the game in the fight against cybercrime: a new White House memorandum establishes a program that will allow private American cyber companies to carry out active cyber operations under government supervision.

Clalit Health Services announced that the insurance company Ayalon will manage its group long-term care insurance policy, covering approximately 2.7 million people. The agreement is for three years with options for extension.

The affair involving Meli and Liel Yahalomi and the Bank of Jerusalem serves as a stark reminder of how quickly digital information can trigger financial risks. In an era of instant transactions, trust is a critical asset.

The wave of layoffs in high-tech creates uncertainty, but history shows that market shocks foster the growth of major companies. Experienced professionals are now leveraging AI to build leaner, more efficient startups.

The Israeli financial market has begun connecting client data to AI language models. Experts are now debating the shift toward autonomous agents and the critical issue of liability.

Governments and universities are investing billions in AI, but this is not enough. The true challenge lies not in adding new courses, but in rethinking the entire education model to prepare students for the future.

US President Donald Trump's executive order imposing tariffs on drones has caused Next Vision's stock to drop by 5.7%. However, experts question the severity of the impact, as the company is already planning to localize production in the US.

The number of job vacancies rose by 1.5% from 146.8 thousand in June to 148 thousand in July. This trend continues following Operation Lion's Roar, despite the fluctuations observed during the war.

Ben Gurion Airport has experienced an exceptionally busy week, with takeoffs 31% above the three-month average and flight delays up by 24%. Passengers face long queues and significant wait times for baggage.

The Central Bureau of Statistics released national accounts data for Q2 2026, showing a 15.4% annual GDP growth as the economy rebounded from the impact of Operation 'Lion's Roar'.

Yuvalim has acquired a 4-dunam plot in Herzliya through a joint ownership dissolution process. The final land valuation reached 200 million shekels.