“Economist": Israel's 2003 inflation among world’s lowest

Countries anticipating 0.5-1% inflation include Taiwan, Switzerland, Singapore, Germany, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia. Zeev Klein   3 Jun 03   14:08

A survey of inflation expectations by British journal “The Economist” forecasts that inflation in Israel will be less than 2% in 2003, among the lowest in the world.

”The Economist” predicts great differences in inflation between different countries: deflation in several Far Eastern countries, and double-digit or higher inflation in South America and Africa. The magazine predicts negative 2.5% inflation in Hong Kong, negative 1% in Japan, and negative 0.5% in China.

Countries expecting 0.5-1% inflation include Taiwan, Switzerland, Singapore, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Saudi Arabia.

Zimbabwe heads the 2003 global inflation forecast list with 305%, followed by Angola with 115% and Iraq with 75%. The inflation forecast for a number of other (mostly South American) countries, including Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Turkey, is 20-40%.

Published by Globes [online] - <a href=www.globes.co.il>www.globes.co.il - on June 3, 2003