The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% in March, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported this afternoon. This was in line with analysts' expectations. The CPI reached 100.5 points in March compared with 100.3 points in February.
This means that the CPI has risen by 1.3% over the past 12 months, in the lower half of the government's 1-3% target range for annual inflation. The CPI is unchanged since the start of 2013.
In March, the CPI was pulled up by culture and entertainment prices, which rose 1.6%, transport prices rose 1%, housing prices (not including home prices) rose 0.8%, and furniture prices rose 0.4%.
Prices that fell in March included fresh fruit and vegetables which fell 2.9%, communications services prices fell 1.9%, clothing prices fell 1.5%, household electrical equipment prices fell 0.7% and food prices fell 0.4%.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 15, 2013
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