Business in Brief

Arkia Israel is reportedly carrying out preflight checks for a Tel Aviv-New York route; according to an anonymous source the airline has renewed its permit to operate regularly scheduled flights on the route in 2010. Arkia has held the license, which allows it to fly to airports in the eastern United States, for some time but has never used it. Rival airline Israir suspended its Israel-U.S. flights last year, citing lack of profitability. Arkia officials, meanwhile, say that it's not worth it for the airline to fly the route unless it purchases wide-body aircraft. One said leasing is not an option since Arkia would not be able to repay the $1 million or so annual cost. (Zohar Blumenkrantz)

Foreign investors look at me and my partners in Bezeq and reach positive conclusions on the Israeli economy, Haim Saban said last night on Channel 2 television's "Meet the Press." Saban briefly discussed the recent sale of the telecommunications firm to businessman Shaul Elovitch. "The Bezeq deal is closed but not completed, and I am satisfied," he said. When asked about the secret of his success, Saban said, "I don't know what that gut feeling is. You look at an opportunity and you have a feeling. I listen to advisers, too, but gut feelings beat out all the economic researchers." (TheMarker)

The Consumer Price Index for October will be issued this evening by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Analysts expect an increase of between 0.2% and 0.3%, due to a rise in the cost of services for occupant-owned homes, increased buying of clothing and footwear due to the cool weather, and rising food prices. These will be offset somewhat by a 2.1% decline in gasoline prices and a decline in the cost of fruits and vegetables as well as the price of overseas travel. The September CPI fell by 0.3%, confounding economists. In the first nine months of 2009 the CPI rose by 3.4%, leading analysts to conclude that the index could rise by around 4% for the year. (Moti Bassok)