Economy

PMI at Record Low
PMI at Record Low

The PMI (Purchase Managers Index), published by BlomInvest, registered 47.9 points in May 2024, compared with 48.9 the previous month. This is the lowest figure in sixteen months. Commenting on these figures, Helmi Mourad, analyst at BLOM Business Bank, stressed that the decline reflects the deterioration in business activity in the private ...

Circularity: The EBRD Grants Lebanese SMEs €12.5 million
Circularity: The EBRD Grants Lebanese SMEs €12.5 million

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced on Wednesday that it was granting €12.5 million to the Lebanese private sector, as part of a nine-year program to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) integrate effective circular economy practices into their operations. The circular economy, or circularity, is the ...

NSSF Transfers 131 Billion LBP to Hospitals
NSSF Transfers 131 Billion LBP to Hospitals

The Director General of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Mohammad Karaki, issued instructions on Monday to the relevant financial departments to transfer 131 billion Lebanese pounds to hospitals for the payment of treatment for dialysis patients, bringing the total amount paid since the beginning of the year to 521 billion pounds. He ...

Alternative Payment Methods: A Global Rise
Alternative Payment Methods: A Global Rise

Card payments are no longer the only and main consumers’ option. Bank cards are steadily giving way to alternative payment methods. This is a global trend, and Lebanon is no exception; for instance, electronic wallets are gaining significant popularity. The range of options keeps growing. In the coming years, there will be less cash and fewer ...

Hajj Hassan: Lebanese Fish Farming Project to be Launched Soon
Hajj Hassan: Lebanese Fish Farming Project to be Launched Soon

Lebanon plans to launch a fish farming, marine and river fish development project in the second half of June, the caretaker Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, announced on Friday in an interview with Radio Liban. He explained that his recent visit to Cairo was aimed at overcoming obstacles regarding exports to Egypt and learning about ...

Ratings Agency S&P Downgrades French Credit Score
Ratings Agency S&P Downgrades French Credit Score

Ratings agency S&P on Friday downgraded France's credit score for the first time since 2013, citing a deterioration in the country's budgetary position. S&P justified its decision to lower its rating for the EU's second-largest economy to "AA-" from "AA" by saying the budget deficit was forecast to remain above three percent of GDP in ...

Public Transport Fares Increase From LBP 150,000 to LBP 200,000
Public Transport Fares Increase From LBP 150,000 to LBP 200,000

Public transport fares have risen from LBP 150,000 to LBP 200,000, according to the new price scale approved on Thursday by caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh. Region Tariffs in LL Service Taxi Mini-bus Bus Inside administrative Beirut, bounded by Corniche al-Mazraa, Barbir, the Museum, the River, Karantina, ...

Mechanical Fees Payable at Money Transfer Companies
Mechanical Fees Payable at Money Transfer Companies

The Traffic and Vehicle Management Authority has announced that the annual circulation fee (“mécanique”) can be paid as of Thursday, May 30 at all money transfer companies, namely OMT, Whish Money, Cash Plus and BOB Finance.

Global Blue Revives Tax-Free Shopping in Lebanon
Global Blue Revives Tax-Free Shopping in Lebanon

Global Blue, the Swiss tax-free shopping company, announced on Thursday the relaunch of tax-free shopping services in Lebanon after a stop of more than two years. "This move represents a significant boost for the local retail and tourism sectors, attracting more international shoppers and stimulating economic activity in Lebanon," reads a ...

ABL: To Return Deposits and Preserve the Banking Sector
ABL: To Return Deposits and Preserve the Banking Sector

The Board of Directors of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) met on Wednesday, reiterating the need to return deposits and preserve the banking sector. According to a press release issued by the ABL, various topics were discussed. In particular, the Council unanimously stressed the need to approach any bank restructuring project in ...

Salam: The World Bank Is Committed to Supporting Lebanon
Salam: The World Bank Is Committed to Supporting Lebanon

Caretaker Minister of Economy and Trade Amin Salam assured on Wednesday that “the World Bank (WB) is committed to supporting Lebanon,” emphasizing that “the Ministry of Economy and Trade is keen on close cooperation with the financial institution to achieve results in the coming year, notably the beginning of the implementation of the GATE ...

Outstanding Payment Cards Reached 2.1 million at End-August 2023
Outstanding Payment Cards Reached 2.1 million at End-August 2023

As per the latest figures released by the Central Bank of Lebanon, the number of outstanding bank payment cards reached 2,063,252 cards at end-August 2023, down from 2,379,207 cards at end-2022, witnessing a drop of 315,955 cards or 13.3% over the first eight months of 2023. In detail, resident payment cards continued to make up the majority of ...