JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s economy is likely to grow by 4.6% this year, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday in a forecast reliant on continuation of rapid COVID-19 inoculations and a drop in the infection rate.
In a lower probability scenario in which the health environment deteriorates because of new virus mutations or vaccinations taking longer than expected, forcing further lockdowns, the economy would grow by only 1.9%, the ministry said, adding that its projection for 2020 is a contraction of 3.3%.
Israel has been a world leader in vaccinating its population against the coronavirus.
“The economy will recover at the rate that had characterized the sub-prime (2008 financial) crisis,” the ministry said of its main scenario, assuming “vaccination of the population in the first half of 2021 when, in this period, there are still limited health restrictions”.
The Bank of Israel has estimated a contraction of 3.7% for 2020 and growth of 6.3% in 2021 if the rapid vaccination pace is maintained. That would fall to 3.5% growth in a slow-inoculation scenario.
According to the ministry, Israel’s economy fared relatively well in 2020 and outperformed an OECD average of a 5.5% contraction. It cited minor damage to exports thanks to high-tech exports.
It noted, however, that unemployment remained high at 15.4% in 2020 and is expected to fall to 8.6% in 2021 in its base scenario and to 11.6% in a more pessimistic projection, with a decline in the average wage in either case.
Separately, the Central Bureau of Statistics said the economy surged 39.7% in the third quarter of 2020 on an annual basis compared with the second quarter, reflecting an economy that was mostly open during the summer between lockdowns.
Growth in the July-September period was driven by sharp gains in exports (59.7%), private spending (42.3%) and investment in fixed assets (17.2%).
(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by David Goodman)
TORONTO – Strength in the base metal and technology sectors helped Canada’s main stock index gain almost 100 points on Friday, while U.S. stock markets also climbed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 93.51 points at 23,568.65.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 297.01 points at 41,393.78. The S&P 500 index was up 30.26 points at 5,626.02, while the Nasdaq composite was up 114.30 points at 17,683.98.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.61 cents US compared with 73.58 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down 32 cents at US$68.65 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down five cents at US$2.31 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$30.10 at US$2,610.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents US$4.24 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 0.4 per cent to $82.7 billion in July.
The increase came as sales in the miscellaneous subsector gained three per cent to reach $10.5 billion in July, helped by strength in the agriculture supplies industry group, which rose 9.2 per cent.
The food, beverage and tobacco subsector added 1.7 per cent to total $15 billion in July.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 2.5 per cent to $12.1 billion.
In volume terms, overall wholesale sales rose 0.5 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade last year, but is excluding the data from monthly analysis until there is enough historical data.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in the base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 172.18 points at 23,383.35.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 34.99 points at 40,826.72. The S&P 500 index was up 10.56 points at 5,564.69, while the Nasdaq composite was up 74.84 points at 17,470.37.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.55 cents US compared with 73.59 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up $2.00 at US$69.31 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up five cents at US$2.32 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$40.00 at US$2,582.40 an ounce and the December copper contract was up six cents at US$4.20 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
