JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s consumer price index (CPI) rose a slightly smaller than expected 4.4% in June over the prior 12 months, the most since November 2008, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.
A Reuters poll of analysts had projected a 4.5% rate.
The CPI rose 0.4% in June from May, led by gains in transport, housing rentals and healthcare.
The Bank of Israel is widely expected to raise rates again next month after three straight increases since August that has taken the benchmark rate to 1.25% from 0.1%.
(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
