JERUSALEM, Jan 3 (Reuters) - The Bank of Israel left its benchmark interest rate at 0.1% for a 14th straight policy meeting on Monday, with inflation stable and amid economic uncertainty due to the rapid spread of COVID-19's Omicron variant.
All 12 economists polled by Reuters had said they expected the monetary policy committee to keep rates steady, as it has since cutting them from 0.25% at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next rates move is widely expected to be a rate increase later this year or in 2023.
Israel's inflation rate gained to 2.4% in November from 2.3% in October to remain above the midpoint of the government's 1%-3% annual target range.
At the same time, a rapid COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in which 46% of Israelis have received a third, booster shot has led to an economic rebound, with the country so far largely free of virus-related restrictions, although infections have been soaring in recent weeks.
The economy grew an annualised 2.5% in the third quarter from the prior three months after growth of 14.2% in the second quarter. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Catherine Evans)
