Figure of the Week

Lebanon’s Exports Surge 30% in Q1 2025
Figure of the weekLebanon’s Exports Surge 30% in Q1 2025

Lebanon’s exports surged by 30% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching $957 million, up from $735 million during the same period in 2024. This marks a significant improvement for a country with a chronically negative trade balance. Jewelry, Lebanon’s top export category (43% of total exports), played a major role in this increase, with ...

Interest on Lebanese Pound Deposits Drops
Figure of the weekInterest on Lebanese Pound Deposits Drops

2% — that’s the average interest rate on deposits in Lebanese pounds, according to the latest figures released by the Banque du Liban for March 2025. This represents a clear decline from 2.86% in February, although it remains higher than the rate recorded a year earlier in March 2024, when it stood at just 1%. In contrast, interest rates on ...

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

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 ...

Only 1 in 5 Motorcycles Registered in Lebanon
Figure of the weekOnly 1 in 5 Motorcycles Registered in Lebanon

According to the Traffic and Vehicle Management Authority (commonly referred to as "la Mécanique") and data from the research firm Information International, only 289,000 motorcycles were officially registered in Lebanon as of 2022. However, this number is believed to represent just 20% of the actual motorcycles on the road. In both 2023 and ...

Big Projects, Few Permits: Lebanon’s Construction Slows, but Grows in Scale
Figure of the weekBig Projects, Few Permits: Lebanon’s Construction Slows, but Grows in Scale

According to the Order of Engineers of Beirut and North Lebanon, only 417 building permits were issued in January 2025 – a sharp 48.33% drop compared to January 2024. Construction activity has seen a steep decline over the past year. This downturn has affected all governorates: Beirut: Only 2 permits issued, a 93.75% drop ...

Lebanon Faces Severe Trade Deficit and Economic Imbalance
Figure of the weekLebanon Faces Severe Trade Deficit and Economic Imbalance

Lebanon's trade deficit in 2024 reached $14.2 billion, accounting for approximately 50% of the country's GDP. This level, one of the highest in the world, is alarming and reflects the magnitude of the country's economic imbalances. According to statistics from the Higher Council of Customs, imports declined by 3.5%, totaling $16.9 billion, while ...

Lebanon's Solar Energy Market Faces Sharp Decline
Figure of the weekLebanon's Solar Energy Market Faces Sharp Decline

The solar energy market in Lebanon experienced a dramatic decline. In 2024, imports of solar panels dropped by 41% compared to 2023 and by 82% compared to 2022, according to data from the Lebanese Customs Authority. A record high was reached in 2022, with 5 million panels imported, while only 2.24 million were imported in 2024, valued at a ...

Beirut Stock Exchange: Trading Volume Drops 80%!
Figure of the weekBeirut Stock Exchange: Trading Volume Drops 80%!

The Beirut Stock Exchange (BSE) saw a sharp decline in activity during the week of March 14, with trading volume dropping to 115,916 shares, compared to 570,083 the previous week. The total value of transactions also decreased, falling to $3.44 million from $4.94 million the week before, according to a report by Banque du Crédit ...

New Car Sales in 2024: A 25% Increase, But Still Below Pre-2018 Levels
Figure of the weekNew Car Sales in 2024: A 25% Increase, But Still Below Pre-2018 Levels

In 2024, a total of 8,226 new cars were sold, representing a 25.05% increase compared to the 6,578 units sold in 2023, according to the International Chamber of Navigation of Beirut. However, despite this growth, the market for new car imports remains significantly below pre-2018 levels. By comparison, 21,991 vehicles were sold in 2019, 33,012 ...

82% of Lebanon's 2024-2025 Budgets Allocated to Public Sector Operational Costs
Figure of the week82% of Lebanon's 2024-2025 Budgets Allocated to Public Sector Operational Costs

According to Labora, a Lebanese NGO focused on reducing unemployment, 82% of the 2024 Finance Law and the 2025 budget proposal are allocated to cover the public sector's operational costs. This exceeds the World Bank's 30% threshold, beyond which it refuses to finance budgets, as it views such high spending as a risk of public fund mismanagement ...

113 Vacant Senior Positions in Lebanon’s Administration
Figure of the week113 Vacant Senior Positions in Lebanon’s Administration

113 senior positions within Lebanon's central administration are currently vacant and filled on an interim basis, according to sources close to the Grand Serail. This number is expected to increase by the end of 2025. Among the key positions to be filled are the Governor of the Central Bank (BDL), the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and the ...

Lebanon’s Fresh Dollar Transactions Surge in 2024, Reaching $302 Million
Figure of the weekLebanon’s Fresh Dollar Transactions Surge in 2024, Reaching $302 Million

In 2024, the total value of fresh dollar checks cleared amounted to $302 million, according to data from the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) and the research department at Bank Audi. On average, $25.2 million in fresh dollar checks were cleared each month throughout the year. The value of these checks experienced a monthly increase of 17%, ...