The sale of durable goods in Israel declined sharply during the first six months of the year, indicating that Israel’s economic slowdown is continuing.
According to figures published Tuesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics, automobile sales were down by 51 percent, compared to the same period of 1988.
The sale of television sets was off by 18 percent, washing machine sales dropped 8 percent and videotape recorders were down 25 percent.
Only air conditioner sales boomed, rising by 17 percent, as a result of abnormally hot weather.
According to the Central Bureau, 23,000 new cars were sold in the first half of the year, about 11,000 in the first quarter and 12,000 in the second.
Consumers bought 54,000 television sets, 38,500 washing machines and 20,000 videotape recorders.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
