Over the last number of year, the public discussion has focused on the phenomenon of excess oligopolistic trends in the economy, to such an extent that a government committee on increasing competition in the economy was established. This report focuses on one aspect of this oligopolistic concentration of financial and economic power – the holding and managing of money by financial intermediaries and business groups. The Israeli economy has witnessed a growing phenomenon of such groups, and specifically those who employ a pyramid structure.

The report focuses on the years between 2004 and 2007.