The Bank of Jerusalem’s stock swung erratically on Thursday, suffering sharp drops followed by partial recoveries, amid rampant speculation over the disappearance of bank employee Mali Yahalomi and unsubstantiated social media rumors that bank funds were somehow involved.

At one point the stock lost some 12 percent. It then largely recovered, and as of 2 p.m. was down about 2%.

Yahalomi, 50, vanished with her daughter Liel, 23, in Vienna on Friday, and Israeli and Austrian authorities are probing their disappearance.

An Israeli gag order was placed on the case early Thursday, and the disappearance is reportedly being investigated by a department in the Israel Police’s  Lahav 433 major crimes unit, which handles white-collar crime.

The Ynet news site reported Wednesday that authorities are looking into the possibility that the two women withdrew a significant amount of cash and that local data was erased from their phones days before their disappearance.

But the Bank of Jerusalem said in a statement that it had conducted a review into the matter and that “no findings were identified indicating any irregular activity involving the bank’s funds or assets.”

CEO Yair Kaplan wrote to employees, “It should be emphasized that, aside from the fact that [Mali Yahalomi] is a bank employee, no connection has been found........

© The Times of Israel