Standard & Poor have retained Israel's credit rating of A-.

Israel Business Today, December, 1996

> * Standard & Poor have retained Israel's credit rating of A- prior to the country's NIS 200 million Eurobond issue, despite the present unsettled economic and political climate. A spokesperson for the Finance Ministry said that: "the credit rating company continues to show faith in, and maintain its respect for the Israeli economy, although the rating is based on the government's commitment to reduce the government deficit."