Imports of Goods excluding diamonds down 5.1% in September

The Israel Tax Authority reported last week that imports of goods, excluding diamonds, fell unexpectedly in September 2005 by 5.1% to $3.17 billion, from $3.34 billion in August.
 
The Tax Authority noted, however, that imports of goods, excluding diamonds, were 28.7% higher in September 2005, compared with September 2004, in increase of $708 million.
 
Imports of goods in the nine months period January-September, excluding diamonds, rose by 17.2%, or $4 billion, to $27.17 billions.
 
The Tax Authority also noted that in January-September fuels accounted for an average of 3.6% of monthly imports, compared with 3.4% in the corresponding months in 2004.