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

Liliane Mokbel 01/03 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Banks

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 ...

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

Liliane Mokbel 22/02 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Central Bank of Lebanon Public Administration Positions

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 ...

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

Liliane Mokbel 15/02 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

ABL Banks

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%, ...

Figure of the weekElectricity Production Up 36.7% in the First Half of 2024

Liliane Mokbel 08/02 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

lebanon Banque du Liban electricity

Electricity production increased by 36.7% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to data from the Banque du Liban. It reached 2.239 million kilowatt-hours (kWh), up from 1.638 million kWh during the same period last year. This growth continues the 41.7% increase seen between 2022 and 2023, when total production ...

Figure of the weekDecrease in Car Imports via the Port of Beirut in 2024

Liliane Mokbel 01/02 12:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Beirut Port

Car imports through the port of Beirut have seen a significant -20% drop in the first eleven months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. From January to November 2024, a total of 41,135 cars were imported, down from 51,423 during the same period last year, reflecting a slowdown in the automotive import sector.  

Figure of the week800,000 Vehicles in Lebanon Without Mandatory Insurance

Liliane Mokbel 25/01 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

In 2024, out of the 2,000,000 vehicles in Lebanon's automotive fleet, 800,000 are not registered with the Vehicle Registration Department and, as a result, lack mandatory auto liability insurance. This means there is roughly one car for every two residents, in a country where public transportation is virtually non-existent. The mandatory ...

Figure of the weekBeirut Souks Sees 62 Stores Open, Falling Short of 2024 Target

Liliane Mokbel 04/01 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

62 stores are currently open and welcoming customers at the Beirut Souks Shopping Center. Seven of these opened in December 2024, and six more are expected to open in January. However, the total number of open stores is still just under half of the 140 originally planned for the end of 2024 – a target set before the two months of conflict.

Figure of the weekLebanon's Price Surge – 4.9% Rise in Dollars, 5970% in Lebanese Pounds (2019-2024)

Liliane Mokbel 2024-12-28 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Banks prices inflation crisis world bank

In Lebanon, prices in dollars rose by 4.9% between September 2019 and September 2024, according to the World Bank. Meanwhile, the Central Directorate of Statistics reports a staggering 5970% increase in prices in Lebanese pounds over the same period.  

Figure of the weekA New Trend in Lebanon's Population Growth?

Liliane Mokbel 2024-12-21 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

The Lebanese population is estimated at 5.77 million in 2023, up from 5.74 million in 2022 and 5.72 million in 2021, according to ESCWA. Lebanon's demographic trends reveal a steady growth rate since 1950, when the population stood at 1.35 million. By 2000, the population had reached 4.33 million, and by 2020, it had grown to 5.70 million. The ...

Figure of the week$80 for a Meter of Glass, Driven by Reconstruction Needs

Liliane Mokbel 2024-12-14 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Israel damage reconstruction

The price of a meter of glass has surged to $80, up from $30 before the start of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This price does not include the cost of labor for installation. Glaziers attribute the increase to a surge in demand, primarily driven by the reconstruction and repair of buildings and structures damaged by Israeli ...

Figure of the weekHotel Occupancy in Beirut Drops Below 10%, Regions Near 0%

Liliane Mokbel 2024-12-07 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

tourism beirut hotels

The hotel occupancy rate in Beirut has fallen below 10%, while in other regions, it is approaching 0%, according to Pierre Achkar, president of the Union of Syndicates of Tourist Establishments in Lebanon. "Arab countries continue to boycott Lebanon, and European nations do not anticipate a swift return of their citizens. A mandatory waiting ...

Figure of the weekZero Used Car Sales Since End of September

Liliane Mokbel 2024-11-30 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Israel

According to Elie Kazzi, the President of the Syndicate of Used Car Importers, losses due to damage to imported vehicles during the war between Israel and Hezbollah are estimated at around $60 million. The sector remains particularly vulnerable, as many Lebanese are reluctant to buy used cars during periods of instability, especially since they ...