Economy

Eight OPEC+ Countries Raise Production by 547,000 Bpd
Eight OPEC+ Countries Raise Production by 547,000 Bpd

Saudi Arabia, Russia and six key members of the OPEC+ alliance said Sunday they will increase production by 547,000 barrels a day in a move that analysts say aims to regain market share amid resilient crude prices. Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, along with the Saudis and Russians, together nicknamed the ...

Beirut Port Scans 60 Containers per Hour with AI-Powered Technology
Figure of the weekBeirut Port Scans 60 Containers per Hour with AI-Powered Technology

The Ministry of Finance is accelerating its efforts to modernize Lebanon’s customs operations. With a clear goal of enhancing public revenue collection, a large-scale digital transformation is underway, impacting both the Directorate of Revenues and the Customs Directorate. Key initiatives include the gradual rollout of electronic payment ...

Beirut Port: The Dormant Strategic Hub
Beirut Port: The Dormant Strategic Hub

The Levant’s maritime landscape is rapidly shifting. Since the easing of Western sanctions on Syria, investors have flocked to its shores. Emirati logistics giant DP World has launched an $800 million investment plan to modernize Tartus port. Meanwhile, CMA CGM is investing $262 million in Lattakia, and China is expanding its footprint in ...

Trump's Tariffs: What Has Changed and Who is Affected
HighlightTrump's Tariffs: What Has Changed and Who is Affected

A range of new tariffs due to take effect in one week were announced Thursday on most US trading partners, with separate sector specific duties -- on copper -- also being implemented. President Donald Trump unveiled an array of import levies that ranged as high as 41 percent on Syria and included a hike on Canadian imports from the current 25 ...

Customs Revenues: Lebanon’s Unexpected Performance in 2025
Customs Revenues: Lebanon’s Unexpected Performance in 2025

It’s both a welcome and surprising development: in 2025, Lebanon’s state treasury saw a significant rise in customs revenues – and this happened without any increase in customs duty rates. According to the World Bank (Lebanese Monitor report, Turning the Tide, Spring 2025), public revenues reached $4 billion in 2024, with $3 billion coming ...

Lebanese Weddings: A Factory of Bliss and Big Bucks
SpotlightLebanese Weddings: A Factory of Bliss and Big Bucks

Today, Lebanese weddings are no longer just about love; they’re major financial productions. Each celebration activates an entire economic ecosystem: fully booked wedding planners, photographers and videographers charging thousands of dollars, gourmet caterers offering five-star menus, florists capable of transforming any venue into a lush ...

Lebanon, France Advance Budget Reform to Restore State Credibility
Lebanon, France Advance Budget Reform to Restore State Credibility

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber announced on Wednesday tangible progress in Lebanon’s public finance reform efforts, during a joint press conference with French Ambassador Hervé Magro and representatives from the French Development Agency (FDA) and Expertise France. The conference focused on the ongoing project “Strengthening Budget ...

Reforming PPPs in Lebanon: Modernizing Without Repeating Past Mistakes
SpotlightReforming PPPs in Lebanon: Modernizing Without Repeating Past Mistakes

Jaber wants a smarter, more effective PPP law, one that reflects the lessons of what he describes as a disappointing past. He was rather clear in an early July statement to An-Nahar, as he sharply criticized the PPP contract between Electricité du Liban (EDL) and service providers, calling it a “big lie.” He believes the deal should have been ...

Will Stablecoins Become Everyday Money?
ExplainerWill Stablecoins Become Everyday Money?

Stablecoins might not make people into surprise millionaires the way bitcoin did, but these cryptocurrencies are designed to be more useful when it comes to daily life. The GENIUS Act, a regulatory framework recently signed into law by US President Donald Trump, may boost stablecoins, digital currencies with values pegged to a country's ...

From K-beauty to C-beauty: The Asian Wave Sweeping the Beauty Market
From K-beauty to C-beauty: The Asian Wave Sweeping the Beauty Market

What if the future of your makeup bag came from Seoul or Shanghai? This is no longer a passing craze, but a powerful wave sweeping through the industry. In just five years, Chinese beauty (C-beauty) and Korean beauty (K-beauty) products have won over the world, from TikTok influencers to pharmacy shelves. With natural ingredients, competitive ...

Palantir, the AI Giant That Preaches US Dominance
Palantir, the AI Giant That Preaches US Dominance

Palantir, an American data analysis and artificial intelligence company, has emerged as Silicon Valley's latest tech darling -- one that makes no secret of its macho, America-first ethos now ascendant in Trump-era tech culture. The company's reach spans the global economy, with banks, hospitals, the US government, and the Israeli military among ...

Work, Pensions and Wages on the Agenda of the Price Index Commission
Work, Pensions and Wages on the Agenda of the Price Index Commission

Salaries, social security, pensions and educational cooperation were the focus of Monday's meeting of the Price Index Commission, chaired by Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar. The goal: to move beyond symbolic discussions and take action. At the end of the meeting, Minister Haidar told the press that these meetings will continue until December in ...