Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
UNCTAD: The situation in the Palestinian territories is unfolding within a context of overall economic and institutional fragility and is leading to serious social and environmental consequences
UNCTAD: Two years of military operations and restrictions have caused an unprecedented collapse of the Palestinian economy
UNCTAD: Situation in Gaza unique, represents the most severe economic crisis ever recorded
TASS reports 3 people were injured in a drone attack in the Rostov region, after a fire broke out at a facility in the industrial zone
Ukraine's Ministry of energy reports massive attack on energy facilities in the country
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense: One Chinese balloon was spotted in the Taiwan Strait on Monday
Israeli media reports injuries in ramming operation in al-Naqab.
Sheikh Daamoush: Zionists must remain worried, as they have committed a grave error.
Sheikh Daamoush: All concessions given by Lebanese government to date bore no fruit.
Sheikh Daamoush: It is the duty of the state to protect its citizens and sovereignty, government must push plans to that effect and refuse external pressures, diktats.

SVB collapse hits ‘Israel’, Gulf hard, US banking faltering

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 13 Mar 2023 20:01
  • 4 Shares
5 Min Read

Silicon Valley Bank's collapse sounds the alarm in the Israeli tech sector and Middle Eastern stock indices.

  • x
  • SVB collapse hits ‘Israel’, Gulf hard, US banking faltering
    The main entrance of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in Menlo Park, California, March 10, 2023 (Reuters)

"Israel" and several Gulf states are already feeling the effects of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse on Friday, Al-Monitor reported.

California-based Silicon Valley Bank was closed on Friday. The bank was put under "receivership" by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation of the US government, a procedure wherein regulators take over a company's assets to aid creditors in recovering money in default.

The decision was made after Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the US' 16th-largest bank, encountered major financial difficulties, which started as a result of the US Federal Reserve's aggressive recent interest rate hikes to combat inflation. When borrowing costs increased, investors, especially those in Silicon Valley tech firms, grew increasingly unwilling to take risks.

Startups, which make up the majority of Silicon Valley Bank's customers, started withdrawing money last week, depleting the bank's capital and sparking an all-out bank run. By the end of Thursday, customers had taken out an astounding $42 billion. The bank even looked for a buyer on Friday but failed to find one.

Read more: Canadian authorities temporarily control Canadian branch of SVB

"Israel" affected by SVB collapse

It is noteworthy that the bank served numerous Israeli businesses, and its collapse has caused alarm in the Israeli tech sector, according to Al-Monitor.

The Times of "Israel" reported that Israeli banks Bank Leumi and Bank Hapoalim sought to assist corporations in transferring cash out of the SVB prior to its collapse, with Bank Hapoalim reportedly assisting Israeli clients in bringing $1 billion to "Israel".

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also reassured Israeli clients of SVB, particularly tech firms, that the occupation government will provide assistance to affected Israeli businesses, as per his office.

In the same context, market statistics indicated that some Middle Eastern stock indices dipped marginally on Monday as a result of the SVB collapse, Al-Monitor highlighted.

Bloomberg reported on Sunday that the Royal Group investment group, headed by UAE National Security Adviser Prince Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, contemplated acquiring Silicon Valley Bank's British arm. However, according to the BBC, the British bank HSBC eventually made the purchase on Monday.

Moreover, most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Monday, extending losses from the previous session as the collapse of SVB raised fears of a fresh financial crisis, Reuters reported.

According to Fadi Reyad, Chief Market Analyst at CAPEX.com, the failures in the US banking sector continue to weigh on GCC stock markets and add to the uncertainties around US monetary policy.

"Energy price movements remain under observation as well and could add to the pressures," he said.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) dropped 0.8%, weighed down by a 1.5% fall in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) and a 0.8% decrease in Retal Urban Development Co (4322.SE).

In the kingdom, all banking shares were in red including Arab National Bank (1080.SE), which was down 5.9%.

Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) closed 0.9% lower, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties (EMAR.DU) retreating 2.9%.

In Abu Dhabi, the index (.FTFADGI) was down 1.6%.

Oil prices - a key catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - fell $4 as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank weighed, but a recovery in Chinese demand provided support.

Elsewhere, the benchmark Qatar index (.QSI) declined 1.5%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) slid 3.1%, dragged down by a 3.9% tumble in top lender Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA).

US banking system faltering

The bankruptcy of Silicon Valley Bank raises fears that the United States may face another financial crisis similar to the one that occurred in 2008. It is noteworthy that Signature Bank in New York also shuttered its doors on Sunday.

San Francisco-based First Republic has been able to meet withdrawal demands with the help of additional funding from JPMorgan Chase & Co, the mid-cap lender's executive chair, Jim Herbert, told CNBC.

Herbert's comments, however, did little to stymie losses in the stock, which was last down 67% at $28.05 amid multiple trading halts.

Other regional lenders also tumbled, with Western Alliance (WAL.N), KeyCorp (KEY.N), Comerica Inc (CMA.N), Huntington Bancshares Inc (HBAN.O), and PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) down between 16% and 29%, triggering multiple trading halts for volatility, as reported by Reuters.

The KBW regional banking index (.KRX) slipped 5.4%, and the S&P 500 banking index (.SPXBK) fell 6%.

"The real issue for the industry is that there is a crisis of confidence in the stickiness of deposits and when that becomes dislocated, things can move very quickly," said Christopher McGratty, head of US Bank Research at investment bank KBW.

Read more: Musk 'open to the idea' of buying SVB, turning it into digital bank

  • United States
  • Israel
  • US
  • Gulf
  • Silicon Valley bank
  • SVB

Most Read

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

  • Politics
  • 19 Nov 2025
Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of Haitham al-Tabatabai

Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of commander Haitham Tabatabai

  • West Asia
  • 23 Nov 2025
Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

  • Analysis
  • 19 Nov 2025
US readies covert, military measures to oust Maduro: NYT

US signs off on covert CIA operations inside Venezuela: NYT

  • Politics
  • 19 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Vassily Nebenzia, permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, speaks during a meeting of the UN Security Council, March 29, 2022, at United Nations headquarters (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Politics

Russia alarmed by reports of Israeli funding for anti-Hamas groups

A Lebanese citizen shouts slogans as he carries a portrait of Hezbollah's Chief of Staff Haitham Tabtabai during his funeral procession in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP)
Politics

IRGC: Hezbollah, AoR hold right to avenge martyr Al-Tabatabai

A Palestinian carries the body of a man killed while trying to receive aid near a distribution center operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Netzarim, in the Gaza Strip, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP)
Politics

GHF meets 'deserved' end in Gaza after enabling genocide: Hamas

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran in the background (X/@AmbMudassir)
Politics

Larijani’s Pakistan visit signals strategic regional alignment: Excl.

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS