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Tel Aviv Stocks Tumble; MNT Halan+Lean Technologies; Abu Dhabi Rolls Out Auto Delivery
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Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Tel Aviv’s stock market tumbled Tuesday as Israel launched a major Gaza City offensive, with the TA-125 index down 1.8%, reflecting investor concerns over rising war costs and fiscal pressure. In the UAE, MNT-Halan partnered with Saudi fintech Lean Technologies to expand credit access for individuals and small businesses, leveraging open-banking data to reach unbanked customers, with services rolling out this autumn. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi unveiled its first licensed autonomous delivery vehicle in Masdar City, part of a smart mobility pilot aimed at reducing congestion and emissions, with commercial expansion planned in the coming months.
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Markets
EGX 30 | 34,840.82 | 0.92% |
DFMGI | 5,999.68 | 0.686% |
ADX | 10,063.42 | 0.271% |
Tadawul | 10,518.73 | 0.88% |
Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Tumbled on Tuesday As Israel’s Gaza City Offensive Began
🔹 What Is It About
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange dropped sharply after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the launch of a major military offensive in Gaza City. The TA-125 index slid 1.8%, the TA-35 fell 1.6%, the TA-90 lost 2.3%, and the TA-Insurance index plunged 2.9%. The decline followed recent record highs fueled by earlier hopes of a ceasefire.
🔹 Why It Matters
Economists warn the renewed offensive signals prolonged genocide costs, higher government spending, and rising fiscal deficits, raising concerns over Israel’s credit rating. Netanyahu’s remarks about Israel becoming a “Super Sparta” and facing global isolation further rattled investors. Business leaders and tech industry representatives criticized his comments, warning of damaging consequences for investment and competitiveness.
🔹 What’s Next
Analysts expect heightened volatility in Israeli markets as investors weigh military escalation against fiscal pressures. Increased defense spending could reshape budget priorities, while diplomatic isolation risks threaten long-term economic stability. Markets will closely monitor whether the conflict expands, potential ceasefire negotiations, and government strategies to balance security demands with economic resilience.
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Egypt’s MNT-Halan Partners With Saudi’s Lean Technologies To Expand Credit Access In UAE
🔹 What Is It About
MNT-Halan’s UAE unit has signed a partnership with financial infrastructure provider Lean Technologies to improve credit access for individuals and small businesses, Bloomberg reported. Through Lean’s open-banking technology, Halan UAE will gain access to consenting customers’ bank statement data, enabling more accurate credit scoring. The initiative, launching this autumn, aims to reach those without traditional credit histories through products like salary financing and Send-Now-Pay-Later.
🔹 Why It Matters
The collaboration tackles financial exclusion in the UAE, where an estimated 3.7 million people are unbanked or underbanked. By leveraging open banking, Halan can expand lending to underserved groups and SMEs, strengthening access to digital financial services. The move mirrors Halan’s strategy in Egypt, where financial inclusion surpassed 76%, and supports the UAE’s broader fintech ecosystem.
🔹 What’s Next
Halan plans to roll out the partnership’s services later this year, without disclosing financial terms. The company continues its regional growth after expansions into Turkey and Pakistan in 2023, positioning the UAE as a key hub. Market observers will watch how open-banking adoption impacts credit distribution and whether other fintechs follow suit in the Gulf.
Abu Dhabi Rolls Out First Licensed Autonomous Delivery Vehicle In Masdar City
🔹 What Is It About
Abu Dhabi has introduced its first licensed autonomous delivery vehicle as part of a pilot project in Masdar City, developed by K2’s Autogo and operated with logistics arms K2 and EMX under 7X, a unit of the Emirates Investment Authority. The AI-powered vehicles can navigate city streets and deliver orders without human intervention, marking a step toward the emirate’s broader smart mobility agenda.
🔹 Why It Matters
The rollout supports Abu Dhabi’s goal of making a quarter of all trips autonomous by 2040, while also reducing emissions and congestion. It builds on the 2023 launch of the Savi cluster in Masdar City, expected to add AED120 billion ($33 billion) to the UAE economy. Officials say the initiative reflects a national strategy to embed advanced technologies into logistics and transportation.
🔹 What’s Next
The pilot will expand into a full commercial service in the coming months. Parallel efforts include Baidu’s Apollo Go testing in the UAE and its agreement with Dubai’s RTA to deploy 100 robotaxis by year-end, scaling to 1,000 by 2028. Together, these initiatives signal an accelerating regional push toward smart, autonomous mobility at scale.
👨💻From Smashi Business’ Desk
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🔍In other news…
🏦 Crypto Corner
Michael Saylor — Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy and one of Bitcoin’s most vocal corporate advocates — will make his first-ever appearance in the UAE at Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi.
Hut 8, part of a American BTC which is partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, Gets Approval to Operate in Dubai Financial Hub.
Abu Dhabi Judicial Department now accept AE Coin.
We are launching a Smashi Crypto newsletter in September 2025! Subscribe to it here to get the weekly updates from the world of digital assets.
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