Prime Minister Sharon, Finance Minister Shalom, and Bank of Israel Governor David Klein decided yesterday on a further cut of two billion shekels from the government budget. The cuts will take effect across-the-board in all the government ministries… The dollar dropped slightly and was officially valued today at 4.954 shekels… The increase in Value Added Tax to 18% takes effect tonight. Gas prices, for instance, will automatically jump by four agorot per liter, to 4.3 shekels… The consumer price index for May was announced this afternoon, showing a high but not-unexpected jump of 0.9%. The annual rate of inflation remains steady at 8%.