Bank of Israel report says Israel must invest more in its people, develop its infrastructure and upgrade its financial system in order to eventually reduce income inequality

Central bank keeps its key lending rate at 0.1% in line with forecasts; says monetary policy will continue to be 'accommodative' for a 'prolonged time' using a range of tools

Reuters: Most Israeli lenders have reported increases in first-quarter profit due to the unwinding of the large loan-loss provisions they made in 2020 to cope with the crisis

Klein was governor in 2000-2005, when Israel struggled with economic crisis; he helped lower inflation, increase stability in financial system and liberalize forex market

Steering committee creates draft model of possible future central bank-backed digital currency as chatter on virtual payments grows globally; no decision yet re issuance

Calcalist reports that Zuk and former Israeli securities regulator Shmuel Hauser will seek institutional investment for new bank and are eyeing a Bank of Israel license

Central bank governor Amir Yaron says at end of 2022 growth is expected to be just 1.4% lower than before pandemic, 'almost fully canceling' coronavirus impact on GDP

Pandemic spotlights lack of economic safety net that can be rolled out quickly when needed, and a lack of an adequate data infrastructure for targeted assistance, report says

The First Digital Bank, the only new lender in over 40 years, hopes to compete with incumbents; services will be extended to wider public later this year

Reuters: The nation is emerging from a third lockdown of nearly two months that the central bank says had a more moderate impact on the economy than previous rounds