ECONOMY

Prof. Michal Zion of the Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Education: There are no teachers. Minister of Education Yoav Kisch denies responsibility.

The average gross monthly pay of Israeli employees rose 6.7% to NIS 13,309 in October 2024 in comparison with October 2023.

Itamar Ben-Gvir's Ministry of National Security and the Prime Minister's Office both receive higher budgets than in the proposal approved by the government a month ago.

The OECD now sees GDP growth of just 2.4% in Israel in 2025, which compares with a 4.4% projection by the Ministry of Finance.

Talking to "Globes" editor Naama Sikuler at the Israel Business Conference, Governor of the Bank of Israel Amir Yaron said cutting interest rates now would be like putting out a fire with gasoline. He also criticized the make-up of the 2025 budget.

Reuven Krupik spoke at the opening of the Israel Business Conference of the unquantifiable issues that will affect Israel's economic recovery and growth.

CCFI President Henri Cukierman: The best way to counter anti-Israel criticism is to strengthen economic ties between France and Israel.

Purchase tax on electric vehicles will rise from 35% to 45% next month, instead of the planned 83%.

Following its downgrade of Israel's rating in August, Fitch has issued an update assessing the impact of the ceasefire with Lebanon, expressing very cautious optimism.

The Bank of Israel cited uncertainty due to the war and rising inflation as reasons behind its decision.

Israel's Ministry of Finance and Histadrut trade union movement have reached a final agreement on a package of economic measures that will be part of the 2025 state budget.

Israel's markets have been over-performing in the past few weeks as investors see a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon moving nearer and the 2025 budget moving forward.

Ministry of Finance Budgets Division head Yogev Gradus talked to Globes' Oren Dori at the Globes Investment Conference.

While the war continues on two fronts, the job market remains tight and at full employment.

Initial estimates show 3.8% growth, on an annualized basis, in the third quarter of 2024, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports.

Inflation remains above the Bank of Israel's annual target range, while housing prices fell after nine consecutive months of rises.

The US tax authority will allow individuals and companies affected by attacks to defer certain filings and payments until September 2025.

Israel's decline in international AI rankings is blamed on low priority, under-funding, amateurish management, lack of control, and a surplus of political bodies.

As the war continues, the ratings agency report forecasts that Israel will record 0% growth in 2024, which represents a GDP per capita contraction. Only in 2025 will the economy start to recover with modest 2.2% growth.

For the first time in a decade, Israel's biggest private employer has less than 10,000 employees. "Globes" talks to Intel Israel employees and former employees.

The bill proposes a new legal status in addition to the traditional categories of salaries employee and independent contractor.

The deficit for the twelve months to the end of October this year was 7.9% of GDP, or NIS 154 billion.

The US investment bank sees 0.5% GDP growth in 2024, down from its previous forecast of 1% and 3.3% growth in 2025, down from 3.7% in its previous forecast.

Israel’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of October 2024 fell to $216.074 billion, a decrease of $4.303 billion from their level at the end of September, the Bank of Israel reports.

Matanyahu Englman blamed the Tax Authority, for not taking most of the necessary steps to improve its ability to collect the taxes from cryptocurrencies, at a time when Israel's debt burden is increasing due to the war.

On Friday ratings agency S&P will issue Israel's latest rating, just one month after its unexpected decision to cut Israel's credit rating for the second time this year with a negative outlook.

What Israelis need to know about the Labour government's first budget.

Prof. Esteban Klor of Hebrew University and INSS: To avoid a lost decade, the government must divert resources to growth engines.

In September 2024, the average monthly wage in Israel was NIS 13,535, up from NIS 13,376 in August 2024, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports, according to initial estimates.

The US investment bank says geopolitical risk will continue to be the main driver of the shekel, but macroeconomic fundamentals remain supportive.

At the last minute the Finance Ministry added higher National Insurance contributions to the 2025 budget approved by the cabinet. "Globes" explains who will pay more.