Netanyahu Reforms Lead Merrill Lynch to Term Israel's Economy "Sizzling"

Encouraged by Israel's "sizzling" economic growth in the second quarter of 2005, Merrill Lynch raised its growth forecast for the year from 3.8 to 4.2%. "Israeli economic growth surged at a higher-than-expected pace in the second quarter. Real GDP expanded at a 5.6% annual rate in the quarter after growing at a 3.9% pace in the first quarter," the investment bank wrote in its analysis.