Bank of Israel
Israeli Policy Interest Rate Unchanged at 0.25%
May 20, 2019
Six months have now elapsed since the one and only interest rate hike of the current tightening cycle. The rate previously had been pinned at 0.10% from February 2015 to November 2018, and it remains far beneath the last cyclical high in 2010 of 3.25% in the summer of 2011. In a published statement today following […] More
Bank of Israel Leaves Interest Rate Unchanged
January 7, 2019
The Bank of Israel Monetary Committee reviewed its monetary policy stance for the first time since a 15-basis point interest rate hike announced in late November to 0.25%. That increase had been the first change 3-3/4 years and reversed a cut of same size in February 2015, which had culminated a 310-basis point easing cycle […] More
Bank of Israel Raises Key Interest Rate
November 26, 2018
The Bank of Israel‘s key interest rate was changed for the first time since a 15-basis point cut in February 2015. That reduction was reversed today, but officials characterize the new stance as still accommodative. The rate is only 0.25% and was 3.25% at the end of 2010. In justifying today’s 15-basis point rate hike, […] More
Bank of Israel Leaves Central Bank Rate at 0.10% and Signals Reluctance to Start Normalization Anytime Soon
October 8, 2018
Forty four months have elapsed since the last Israeli central bank change, a cut of 15 basis points to 0.10% in February 2015. Inflation is still too low to begin raising the rate. The inflation environment has not changed markedly since the previous interest rate decision, despite slightly lower than expected recent CPI readings: The […] More
Bank of Israel Retains 0.10% Policy Interest Rate
April 16, 2018
The last central bank interest rate change in Israel was a cut of 15 basis points in February 2015 to 0.10%. Previously the rate had been lowered by 75 basis points per year in 2011-14. The latest policy review reaffirmed the need for continuing an accommodative stance. Although inflation early in 2018 was a shade […] More
Bank of Israel
February 27, 2018
Although Israel’s central bank interest rate has been only 0.10% since a 15-basis point reduction in February 2015 and a combined three percentage points of rate cuts over the prior four years, CPI inflation is currently below target and very low. According to a released statement, however, “in the past month inflation expectations increased, the […] More
Bank of Israel Maintains Status Quo
January 10, 2018
Having implemented three 25-basis point reductions per annum from 2011 to 2014 and one more 15-bp cut in February 2015, Israeli monetary officials have kept their central bank interest rate at 0.10% for almost three years. A released statement after their first policy review of 2018 observes that inflation is still under target, partly reflecting […] More
Bank of Israel
October 19, 2017
Israel’s key interest rate was left at 0.1% as expected. A released statement observed continuing sub-target inflation and a recently firmer shekel. Growth is in line with its potential non-inflationary pace and also more balanced than before. Home price inflation is a lessening concern to officials. The central bank interest rate has been at 0.1% […] More
Bank of Israel Leaves Accommodative Policy Stance as Is
August 29, 2017
Two and a half years have now transpired since the Bank of Israel’s policy interest rate was last changed in February 2015 with the implementation of a cut of 15 basis points to 0.10%. That move culminated a 13-step easing of 75 basis points per year during the prior four calendar years. A statement released […] More
Bank of Israel
July 10, 2017
After having cut Israel’s policy interest rate by 75 basis points per year in 2011-14, monetary officials sanctioned one final 10-basis point reduction in February 2015 to the present level of 0.10%. The latest policy review concluded as it has been doing for some time that an accommodative stance needs to be maintained for “as […] More
