Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., August 05, 2008 Av 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:12 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Business in Brief Psagot and Direct Insurance in preliminary contacts over merger Advertisement Representatives of the York investment fund, the owners of the Psagot investment house, are conducting preliminary talks with the Direct Insurance group on a merger. The contacts are at a very early stage only, and both sides claim no negotiations are under way. A merger could benefit both sides: Direct Insurance has its own investment arm, but it is suffering, while Psagot seems to be interested in entering the insurance market. Psagot and York said about the contacts "they never happened." Direct Insurance said they "do not respond or comment on rumors." (Sarit Menahem) Demand for B&Bs dropped 20% this summer The demand for bed-and-breakfast accommodations in the north has dropped 20% this summer. The main causes are the rise in tourism to Anatalya, Turkey, the economic situation and the growth in the number of B&Bs. Despite this, prices do not seem to be dropping significantly: The most expensive B&Bs can cost NIS 2,000 a night, and these are full; those aimed at the middle class in the NIS 700-900 range are feeling the drop. Also, most religious families do not take their vacations until after the Tisha B'Av fast, which comes late this year, on August 10. (Irit Rosenblum) The workers most in demand: truck drivers The profession in greatest demand today is not high-tech workers or engineers, but truck drivers. According to a Manpower Israel survey, other sought-after workers include sales representatives, call-center workers, industrial technicians and machine operators. The reason it is so hard to find truck drivers is the low pay for their hard, long work: NIS 6,500 a month for drivers of small trucks and NIS 9,000 for drivers of large trucks. (Haim Bior) Car prices may not drop after all as 'green taxes' kick in on January 1, 2009 If you were waiting for car prices to drop on January 1, 2009, as everyone expected, you may be in for a surprise. Real purchase taxes will go down, and the new tax brackets for car usage will force prices down, too, but at the same time, the new "green taxes" on polluting vehicles may offset any price reductions - for most vehicles. Purchase taxes will drop by 6% to 78% on January 1. However, the treasury wants to introduce the green taxes in January, as well, which will be based on the amount of pollution produced by the car and will add NIS 1,500-4,500 to the cost of average-sized family cars. (Daniel Schmil) Yona's Ein Karem house sold for NIS 5.2m The house in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ein Karem belonging to Tamar and Boaz Yona of Heftsiba infamy is about to be sold for NIS 5.2 million. The receiver for Heftsiba submitted an official request to the Bailiff's Office to approve the sale yesterday. The house was mortgaged to Mercantile-Discount Bank. (Nurit Roth) Bookmark to del.icio.us   Shin Bet exploitation Is spying for Israel a fair swap for receiving medical treatment? A French feud French satirist denies making anti-Semitic remarks towards President Sarkozy's son.

Read & React Netanyahu: Kadima is selling Jerusalem to Israel's enemies Responses: 66 Court slams state for ignoring order to change West Bank fence route Responses: 49 Israel urges int'l pressure to stop Hezbollah arms smuggling Responses: 64 Rights group: Shin Bet coerces ill Palestinians to become informants Responses: 71 More Headlines 01:35 Defense Minister: Gaza operations are on way 19:29 High Court: Olmert can be suspended if he obstructs graft probe 23:07 MK Barakeh: We'll break any hand raised against Israel's Arabs 00:40 Kadima relieves Livni of vow to remain in party 02:12 Movement set to reestablish evacuated Gaza settlements 23:00 Israeli food company: We won't sell produce grown by Arabs 01:32 A maverick's life, post one / Forget hypocrisy and humbug 00:40 Or Akiva man suspected of conspiring to cause his mistress to miscarry 15:59 Pollard sues Israel for failing to grant him financial assistance 23:05 Caught on film: How Obama's note was stolen from Western Wall 01:52 Kidnapped man turns out to be victim of jealous husband, not robbers 22:29 Rights group: Shin Bet coercing ill Palestinians to become informants 22:58 Israel transfers 88 Fatah men who fled Gaza into West Bank 22:31 Satirical jab at Sarkozy's son sparks cries of anti-Semitism 12:09 Officials investigating threats of Al-Qaida attacks in Europe Previous Editions Select Day 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul

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