Israel's economic growth in 2010 bests forecasts

Local economy expands by 4.5%, surpassing OECD average of 2.7%.

Israel's economy did better than expected, expanding by 4.5% this year, according to preliminary estimates. The average among the OECD nations is reportedly 2.7%.

While living standards apparently contracted in most of the West, here an index tracking the standard of living increased by 2.7% in 2010, officials from the Central Bureau of Statistics stated .