Economy

US, China Agree to Slash Tariffs in Trade War De-Escalation

This is Beirut 12/05 21:34 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump United Nations United States US Treasury

The United States and China announced Monday an agreement to drastically reduce tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, an outcome President Donald Trump dubbed a "total reset," as he said that talks with counterpart Xi Jinping could soon follow. After the first meetings between Washington and Beijing since Trump ratcheted up his trade war, ...

Markets rally after China, US slash tariffs

This is Beirut 12/05 18:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Banks Europe New York

Stock markets, the dollar, and oil prices rallied Monday after the United States and China declared a 90-day truce in their trade war. At the opening bell in New York, the Dow jumped by 2.7 percent, the S&P 500 by 2.9 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite by 4.2 percent. "Stocks are surging, safe havens are rapidly ...

ReportBDL’s Gold Reserves Surge by 41.6% Year-on-Year

This is Beirut 10/05 15:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Central Bank of Lebanon Banque du Liban Lebanon

According to its latest balance sheet, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) reported total assets of $93.86 billion as of the end of April 2025, reflecting a modest 0.33% year-on-year increase. This comes in the wake of BDL’s adoption of a new official exchange rate of 89,500 LBP/USD on February 1, 2024. A standout figure in the report is the sharp ...

US, China Meet in Bid to ‘De-escalate’ Trade War

Hala Abdallah 10/05 15:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Trade US China Geneva economy

Top US and Chinese officials hold talks in Geneva aimed at de-escalating the deepening trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Figure of the weekLebanon’s $30 Million Digital Ad Boom Bypasses Local Media

Liliane Mokbel 10/05 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Israel Tik Tok

Despite a near-total freeze in ad campaigns since September 2024, triggered by the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, digital advertising emerged as a clear winner in Lebanon. According to the Lebanese chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA), ad spending on platforms like Meta, TikTok and Google reached $30 ...

The Vatican’s Finances: A (Nearly) Divine Mission for Leo XIV?

Christiane Tager 10/05 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Pope Francis

Amid ongoing spiritual and social transformation, the Vatican is facing a more down-to-earth reality—its accounts are in the red. The Holy See’s financial management appears more akin to that of a debt-ridden state than a model of virtue. As head of the Catholic Church, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV inherits not only a spiritual mission but ...

U.S./China: Talks in Geneva to Deescalate Trade Tensions

This is Beirut 09/05 19:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump White House

The trade talks between senior U.S. and Chinese officials scheduled for this weekend in Geneva, Switzerland, are "a positive and constructive step toward de-escalation," said WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Friday. "A sustained dialogue between the two largest economies in the world is essential to ease trade tensions, prevent ...

Lebanon Launches Water Sector Reforms with Support from International Partners

This is Beirut 09/05 18:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Germany European Union EU

The Minister of Energy and Water, Joe Saddi, held a working meeting with key international donors and organizations to launch a strategic dialogue on the future of the country’s water sector. The minister announced that the national water sector strategy will be revised. “Valid elements will be retained, gaps will be addressed, and necessary ...

Moody’s Slashes Global Growth Forecasts for 2025–2026

This is Beirut 09/05 18:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Moody’s Australia France Italy Japan

Credit rating agency Moody’s has sharply downgraded its global economic growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026, revising them to 1.9% and 2.3% respectively, down from the 2.5% predicted last February. This significant drop is mainly attributed to rising tariffs on key industrial goods such as steel and aluminum—a trend that is hindering ...

ExplainerWhere Things Stand in the US-China Trade War

This is Beirut 09/05 12:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States China Tariffs Trade

US and Chinese officials meet this weekend in Geneva for their first formal talks aimed at resolving a grueling tit-for-tat tariff war that threatens hundreds of billions in trade and roils global markets and supply chains. AFP looks at how the trade row between the world's two economic superpowers is playing out. What Steps Have the Two Sides ...

China Sales to US Slump Even as Exports Beat Forecasts

This is Beirut 09/05 08:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Treasury China

China said Friday sales to the United States slumped last month while its total exports topped forecasts, as Beijing fought a gruelling trade war with its superpower rival. Trade between the world's two largest economies has nearly skidded to a halt since US President Donald Trump imposed various rounds of levies on China that began as ...

Al-Zein: Over 8,000 hectares of Agricultural Land Destroyed in Southern Lebanon

This is Beirut 08/05 23:20 - Reading : less than a minute

South Lebanon Tamara al-Zein Environment Lebanon

Environment Minister Tamara al-Zein conducted a field tour of several southern border villages—Ramia, Aita al-Shaab, Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, Bint Jbeil, and Ainata—on Thursday to assess the environmental impact of recent Israeli attacks. Al-Zein reported that over 8,000 hectares of agricultural and forest land had been destroyed due to the ...