Intel Stock Delivers Stunning 327% Return in Past Year

An investment of 100,000 shekels in Intel stock exactly one year ago would now be worth approximately 427,000 shekels, representing a 327.5% return in dollar terms. Even after accounting for the dollar's weakening against the shekel, the Israeli investor would still hold around 386,000 shekels. This remarkable performance is attributed to the surging demand for chips and memory, coupled with significant investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The second-best performing asset was the South Korean stock market, with the KOSPI index more than doubling, yielding 113% in won terms. For an Israeli investor buying an exchange-traded fund tracking the index in Tel Aviv, the return was 119.5%, turning 100,000 shekels into about 213,000 shekels. This sector also benefited from the boom in chips and memory.

In the Israeli market, the insurance sector showed strong gains. Harel Investments surged 85.3%, making 100,000 shekels worth 185,000 shekels, while the broader Tel Aviv Insurance Index rose 69.8%. Teva Pharmaceuticals also had a strong year, achieving a 70% return. In contrast, Bank Leumi, a major Israeli bank stock, returned 31.7%.

Major US indices saw more modest gains when adjusted for currency fluctuations. The S&P 500 rose 18.1% and the Nasdaq 100 rose 24.2% in dollar terms. However, for an Israeli investor buying in shekels, the dollar's depreciation from 3.336 to 3.012 shekels reduced these returns significantly. The S&P 500 ultimately left investors with about 107,000 shekels, and the Nasdaq 100 with about 112,000 shekels. Even Nvidia, with a 32.2% gain in dollars, yielded only 119,000 shekels in shekels, underperforming the Tel Aviv 35 index's 36.4% rise.

Among the biggest losers, Eirit Industries, a defense stock that was a star performer in 2025, lost 44.2%, reducing 100,000 shekels to 56,000. Bitcoin saw a 29.2% drop in dollar terms, translating to a 36.1% loss in shekels, leaving about 64,000 shekels. Holding cash in dollars would have resulted in 90,000 shekels. A shekel deposit yielded a modest 4% return, resulting in 104,000 shekels, which was better than dollars, Bitcoin, and Eirit Industries but lower than any stock market investment.