The Israeli Economy: Maintaining a Thriving Economy in the Shadow of Terror

1. The Israeli Economy: Maintaining a Thriving Economy in the Shadow of Terror Prof. Zvi Eckstein Deputy Governor, Bank of Israel The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs March 26, 2007

2. Macroeconomic Picture

3. Real GDP per CapitaIsrael vs. USA Ratio of Israel to USA GDP per capita (right scale) Israeli GDP per capita, thousands NIS, 2000 (left scale) Source: BEA, PWT, OECD, BOI

4. Running an Economy Under Terror • In the past years (2000-3) the terror in Israel has become a part of every day life. • A continuous impact on GDP growth. • High level of defense consumption. • Larger impact on lower social classes. • Great impact on uncertainty which influences economic activity in the macro and micro levels.

5. Implications of Terror(Eckstein and Tsiddon (2003)) • With high rates of terror, output, consumption, investment and exports decline significantly. • In times of terror, non-durable consumption and GNP per capita reduced by about 3.2% annually, while exports and investments reduced by 14%. • GDP could have been 12% higher.

6. GDP Growth and Unemployment Rate Source: CBS and BOI *BOI Forecast

7. Budget Framework Today • Keeping the Public Expenditure under 47% of GDP • What is the desirable rate of public expenditure? Main services that we need to take into consideration: security, health care, education, etc. • Decrease of the budgetary deficit to around 1%, so that the public sector debt would be about 60% of GDP. Fiscal stability supports the financial stability, and both set the ground for annual GDP growth of 4-5% and more.

8. Monetary Policy, and Inflation and Exchange Rate Evolution

9. Managing Monetary Policy : Bank of Israel Targets • Achieving price stability, adhering to inflation target (1-3%). • Promoting financial stability. • Banking Supervision: Supporting the stability and efficiency of the banking system Short term interest rate Developing the capital market in a global economic atmosphere ensures efficiency in consumption, investments and production.

10. Monetary Policy in 2006 and 2007 • Inflation in the past 12 month was below target bound (-0.8%). Main impact factors: depreciation of the $ and decreasing of the gas prices in the past 6 month. • Decrease of risk premium and default spreads of the Israeli economy. • Current account surplus.

11. The Importance of Transparency and Moderation in Monetary Policy Management • Policy steps should be moderate in order to prevent panic in markets. Keen decisions should be taken only in crisis times. • Keeping policy transparent. • Signaling agents in the markets regarding policy fundamentals.

12. Monetary policy and Inflation in 2007: • Private forecasters: 2.0%. • Capital market: 1.4%. • The economic atmosphere enables BOI being at a low interest rate of 4%, while achieving prices and financial system stability.

13. Reforms

14. The Israeli Economy Weaknesses • Financial markets: • Money markets are not at the world’s high standards • High centralization, low level of competition and efficiency in the banking system. • Banks are the main suppliers of financial services – change had begun in 2000 prior to Bachar reform.

15. The Israeli Economy Weaknesses • Labor market: • High poverty. • Low participation/employment rate. • Foreign workers. • Education system. - low levels of basic knowledge: Need to reform • Low productivity in low-tech sectors. • Infrastructures: • Low urban development in peripheral areas. • Lack of public transportation and low quality of roads in peripheral areas.

16. What needs to be done? • Financial markets: • Enhancement of efficiency, competition and financial instruments: Following the world. • Labor market: • Active Labor Market Policies: US/UK examples • Reduction of foreign workers • Compliance with labor laws • Infrastructure improvement. • More reforms…”Doing Business” by the World Bank.

17. Thank You