Consumer price index remained unchanged in September

The drop in education, clothing and vacation prices compensated for the increase in value added tax
 
Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported last Monday that the consumer price index remained unchanged in September.
 
According to CBS press release the drop in education, clothing and vacation prices compensated for the increase in value added tax (VAT) as well as fuel prices. Prices were pushed by a 1% rise in VAT from 16% to 17% and a major hike in fuel prices. Items rising in September included fresh vegetables (12.9%), food (0.9%), transport and communications (0.7%), housing maintenance (0.6%), and furniture (0.6%). Some vegetables recorded significant price hikes, including cabbage (47.1%), tomato (35.4%), beet (18.4%), carrot (12.6%), onion and pepper (12.3%), cucumber (11.3%), zucchini (9.9%), garlic (6.6%), eggplant (6.3%), lettuce (4.1%) and squash (2.2%). In August, tomato prices soared 27%.
 
This was offset by falls in fresh fruit (7.6%), education, culture and entertainment (3.6%), clothing and footwear (0.9%) and housing services (0.3%). The general CPI has gone up by 2.1% since the beginning of 2012.