Bank of Israel head hints more spending may come after initial announcement of massive foreign currency purchase fails to curb shekel; bank is 'fighting gravity,' says top analyst

Bank of Israel says Israelis took out NIS 78.1 billion in mortgages last year, a 15% increase over 2019

Ministry sees jobless rate in 2020 at 15.4%, compared to 3.8% in 2019

Firms operating in shekels but paid in dollars say they'll have to cut back or move away; a central bank plan to buy $30b to stabilize rate will help, but not enough, they say

In policy shift, central bank announces the scope of forex purchases, to provide market with certainty about its commitment to keep shekel appreciation in check

A 'highly polarized political context' is a risk, and a lack of consolidation measures could lead to a negative rating action or a downgrade, ratings firm says

Amid severe economic conditions caused by pandemic, Finance Ministry also forecasts GDP contraction of 3.3%

Israel should already be planning for the days after the coronavirus crisis which, hopefully, are not far ahead; the recovery will be slow and painful, but policymakers can help

Former central bank senior official Zvi Eckstein warns that without a budget and long-term investment, the middle class will flee the country

Commerce chiefs argue self-employed are paying the price for failure to contain the virus; full closure to take effect midnight Thursday, shutting all schools, non-essential stores