XE.com - TABLE-Israel posts 6.6 bln shekel January budget surplus

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Israel posted a budget surplus of 6.6 billion shekels ($1.8 billion) in January,

boosted by a jump in tax income, the Finance Ministry said on

Tuesday.

(millions of shekels)

Jan 2012 2012 Target

Revenue 25,011 271,152

Expenses 17,815 284,767

Surplus/Deficit* +6,566 -18,400

*-excluding credits granted

-- Income from taxes alone totalled 23.1 billion shekels in

January, up 17 percent from January 2011.

-- Israel aims for a deficit target of 2 percent of GDP but

the Finance Ministry has said it would likely be around 3.4

percent of GDP due to an expected shortfall in tax income

stemming from slower economic growth this year.

-- The deficit in 2011 was 3.3 percent of GDP, above a

target of 2.9 percent but below 2010's deficit of 3.7 percent.

($1 = 3.72 shekels)

(Reporting by Steven Scheer)

Keywords: ISRAEL SURPLUS/TABLE

(steven.scheer@thomsonreuters.com)(+972 2 632 2210)(Reuters Messaging: steven.scheer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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