Economy

How governments are becoming major market players

“Governments are getting directly involved, choosing which industries to support, steering investments, and using trade policy as a tool.”
An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-Israeli mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, May 11, 2026.

Approximately 2 million jobs lost in Iran due to war as internet blackout enters fourth month - NYT

Israel’s resilience is the country’s strongest message to the world - opinion

Сombines harvest wheat in a field in the Kasharsky district of the Rostov region, Russia, July 24, 2025.

Russia says it regrets decision of Israeli company to refrain from purchasing Russian grain


Poll shows Swiss evenly split on proposal to cap population at 10 million

The proposal stipulates the permanent resident population must not exceed 10 million before 2050, and that Switzerland should end its freedom of movement accord with the EU.

The Helvetia statue in front of a Swiss flag on the Swiss Parliament building (Bundeshaus) ahead of a press conference on Swiss banks' capital requirements in Bern, Switzerland, April 22, 2026.

U.S.–Iran tensions escalate despite ceasefire

Markets are closely watching the next moves in the U.S.-Iran conflict, as renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten global oil flows, inflation stability, and investor confidence.

The Strait of Hormuz closure exposed a global vulnerability. An Israeli start-up built the fix

“a Weizmann Institute–based Israeli start-up is decentralizing ammonia production with a single-step green technology, aiming to secure global food supply chains against geopolitical disruption.”

IMF chief Georgieva warns of 'much worse outcome' if Middle East war drags into 2027

The IMF issued three scenarios for global GDP amid uncertainty over the war in the Middle East: the main "reference forecast," a middle "adverse scenario," and a much worse "severe scenario."

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference 2026 in Beverly Hills, California, US, May, 4, 2026.

Why Israel’s uneasy Iran ceasefire may be better than it looks - opinion

Could it be that the US (and Israeli) capital markets are becoming immune to the holding pattern between the US and Iran?

Israeli, Iranian, and US flags are seen above US dollars in this illustrative image.

Iran is losing economic ground as sanctions and time reshape the conflict - opinion

The more Iran disrupts the Strait of Hormuz, the more it deepens its isolation and accelerates international alignment against it.

A map showing the Strait of Hormuz is seen in this illustration taken June 22, 2025.

World Bank warns of 16% rise in commodity pricing over Hormuz closure

World Bank forecasts a 24% rise in energy prices in 2026, driven by the Iran conflict and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global markets.

 A participant stands near a logo of the World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018

Israel is building homes, but not the homes Israelis need, Shoresh study warns

The study, published on Wednesday by Shoresh researcher Yael Mishly, argues that Israel’s housing market has a deeper problem than a simple shortage.

The French Hill – a project by Terra Real Estate and Rotshtein.

Iran war begins to hit China’s economy as costs surge

The war in Iran is weighing on China’s economy, with car sales plunging, toy factories shutting down, and thousands of workers taking to the streets following a surge in plastic and energy prices.

An illustration of cargo containers containing the flags of China and Iran.

Compensation to be given to employers of reserve soldiers, Knesset plenum decides

"The fronts of the conflict rely on a solid economic rear," said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich regarding the decision, which hopes to alleviate the economic burden of employing reserve soldiers.

An off duty Israeli soldier seen walking with a weapon on Jaffa street in Jerusalem on September 26, 2025.