CBS: CPI up 0.3% in September

As expected, the CPI was affected by the sharp surge in prices of fresh vegetables last month: tomatoes prices jumped 74.3%, cucumber prices jumped 35%
 
The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported last Friday that Israel's Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose a slightly higher-than-expected by 0.3% in September. The CBS noted that annual inflation (over the past 12 months) is at 2.4%, up from 1.8% the prior month, above the mid-point of the price stability target range set by the government (1-3%).
 
As expected, the CPI was affected by the sharp surge in September in prices of fresh vegetables: the price of tomatoes jumped 74.3% last month and contributed about half of the rise in the index. Cucumber prices jumped 35%.
 
The CPI in Septembershowed an increase in prices of housing (+0.7%) - some 21% of the CPI - although it eased from a 1.7% rise in August. rents rose 0.5%. Education item rose steeply, by 1.2%. These increases were slightly offset by price declines in clothing and footwear (-2.2%), fresh fruit prices fell by 2.3%, culture and entertainment (-0.9%), health (-0.4%), and fuel (-0.7%).