Weekly Round-up

Actionable intelligence, not noise.

Agenda

  • Spotlight

  • Fine Assets

  • Real Estate

  • Equities

Israel Property Prices Drop To Record Lows Creating A Rare Buying Window

Israel’s housing market, long known for steady growth and high demand, has entered a dramatic turning point. In 2025, property prices across the country have fallen to levels not seen in more than a decade, creating both uncertainty for homeowners and opportunity for investors.

According to data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, average residential prices have dropped by nearly 12% year over year, marking one of the sharpest corrections in recent memory. In some regions, declines have been even steeper, signaling that the market is experiencing more than just a temporary slowdown.

What makes this moment unique is the combination of long-term fundamentals with short-term weakness. On one hand, Israel continues to face strong demographic growth, limited land supply, and an economy that historically supports rising housing demand. On the other hand, global and domestic pressures—ranging from higher interest rates to reduced foreign capital—have created a rare situation where prices have slipped to record lows.

For buyers and investors, this environment presents an opening that does not come around often. According to one of our senior real estate analysts: “We are witnessing a once-in-a-generation alignment of factors where prime assets can be acquired at a discount. The question is not whether prices will recover, but when.”

This rare buying window is already drawing attention from both domestic buyers and international investors seeking value in a market that has historically proven resilient.

Collectors Are Turning To Neo Expressionism Instead Of Trophy Art

Neo Expressionism first appeared in the late 1970s and 1980s as a sharp break from the cool restraint of minimalism and conceptual art. With its vivid colors, bold gestures, and raw emotional force, it brought painting back into the spotlight at a time when many thought it had been overshadowed.

Artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Julian Schnabel became the faces of this movement, creating works that were unapologetic, magnetic, and deeply personal. Today, Neo Expressionism matters not just as an artistic revival but as a market force that continues to gain traction with collectors and investors.

On the other side of the spectrum is what the market calls trophy art—masterpieces by names like Picasso, Monet, or Rothko that regularly sell for tens or even hundreds of millions. For decades, these works stood as the pinnacle of collecting, symbols of wealth and prestige as much as cultural achievement.

Institutions and ultra-high-net-worth buyers often treated them as the safest store of value in the art world.

But the balance is changing. According to Art Basel and UBS, sales of artworks above $10 million dropped by 44% in 2023 and 2024, a sign that the top tier is losing some of its shine. At the same time, a new generation of collectors is gravitating toward Neo Expressionism—art that feels more relevant, more accessible, and still full of room for growth.

France’s Strong 2025 Harvest Signals Lower Prices For Burgundy & Champagne

France’s 2025 wine harvest is making headlines for all the right reasons. After several years of weather disruptions, vine diseases, and reduced output, production is finally bouncing back. The rebound is particularly significant in Burgundy and Champagne, two of the country’s most prestigious regions that have faced years of tight supply and rising prices.

For collectors and investors, this shift matters. Burgundy and Champagne have built their global reputation on both quality and scarcity. When volumes dropped in past vintages, prices soared, with certain Burgundy grands crus and vintage Champagnes commanding record premiums at auction and on the secondary market.

In 2025, however, the story looks different. Larger harvests mean more bottles entering the market, and that could change pricing dynamics in the near term.

The question now is how this new wave of supply will affect value. Will it open the door for collectors who were priced out in recent years? Could investors find a rare entry point into labels that previously felt untouchable?

The $17M Paul Newman Rolex Daytona That Changed Watch Investing Forever

Few watches in history have reshaped the way people think about collecting and investing like the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona. In 2017, this single timepiece stunned the world when it sold for a record-breaking $17.8 million at a Phillips auction in New York, instantly becoming the most expensive Rolex ever sold at auction.

The sale was not just about a watch—it marked a turning point in the perception of timepieces as a serious asset class. Until then, watches were often viewed as luxury accessories or niche collectibles, but the Rolex Daytona auction proved they could compete with fine art, rare wine, and classic cars as a category of alternative investment.

As Aurel Bacs, the auctioneer who led the sale, famously said after the hammer fell: “This is not just a watch, it is history.” That statement captures why the Paul Newman Daytona matters—not only as a piece of horology but also as an investment story that changed the dynamics of the market forever.

From that moment, the Rolex watch investment market entered a new era, with collectors, investors, and institutions paying closer attention to the financial potential of vintage timepieces.

London Luxury Real Estate Looks Weak While Secondary Areas Are Rising

London has long been one of the most attractive cities in the world for property investors, but the latest numbers show that its luxury housing market is losing momentum. According to recent data from LonRes, sales of London Luxury Real Estate dropped by nearly 12% in July 2025 compared to last year, marking one of the steepest declines since the pandemic.


Even compared with pre-pandemic averages, sales volumes remain around 8% lower.

At the same time, new listings are rising, with a 22% increase year over year, pushing inventory higher and giving buyers more choice. Price growth in luxury zones has also flattened, with values rising only 0.4% over the past year—a stark contrast to the double-digit gains seen in 2021 and 2022.

This slowdown has caught the attention of investors worldwide. London real estate has traditionally been seen as a “safe haven” asset, but the combination of weak sales and stagnant prices has raised questions about whether the ultra-prime market still offers the returns it once did.

As Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank, recently noted: “The market is not collapsing, but it is adjusting to new realities—higher costs, shifting demand, and a more cautious buyer base.”

For investors, the key question is whether the weakness in luxury properties signals a broader downturn—or if it is simply creating new opportunities elsewhere in the city.

Why Stablecoins Are Set To Disrupt Global Cash Flow

Stablecoins have become one of the most talked-about innovations in global finance. Unlike other cryptocurrencies, they are designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to real-world assets such as the U.S. dollar, the euro, or even commodities like gold. This stability makes them less volatile than Bitcoin or Ethereum, and far more suitable for everyday payments and international money movement.

In recent years, their growth has been remarkable. The global stablecoin market has expanded from just a few billion dollars in circulation five years ago to hundreds of billions today, with forecasts suggesting it could reach the trillion-dollar mark before the end of the decade.

What started as a tool for crypto traders to move in and out of volatile assets has now become a serious contender for transforming the way cash flows across borders.

Payment adoption is also rising quickly. From remittance corridors in Asia to fintech platforms in the Middle East, stablecoins are increasingly used to send and receive money faster and cheaper than traditional methods.

As Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer at Circle, put it: “Stablecoins are no longer just part of the digital asset ecosystem—they are becoming part of the global financial system itself.”

This shift matters not only for technology enthusiasts but also for investors, businesses, and governments. Stablecoins represent a rare combination of financial innovation, efficiency, and growing mainstream trust—and they are now positioned to disrupt global cash flow in ways the banking sector can no longer ignore.

At The Luxury Playbook, we don’t follow the market—we analyze it, decode it, and stay ahead of it.”

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