This is Beirut - Economy

Global Markets 2025: From Soaring Peaks to Sudden Crashes

Christiane Tager, 17/10 12:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

International Monetary Fund Markets economy stocks

Since January, major stock indices such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Euro Stoxx have shattered records. Fueled by surging optimism around artificial intelligence, global finance seems to be reliving its golden era. Yet beneath this spectacular rise, the ground is quaking. Every peak is followed by a dark day. In just hours, billions of dollars could ...

Gold Rush in Lebanon: Between Speculation and Shortages

Liliane Mokbel, 15/10 16:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey Lebanon economy gold silver

Lebanese buyers are increasingly turning to precious metals, especially gold and silver, whose international prices have been climbing steadily to record highs. These days, it can take up to a week to obtain a gold bar and nearly two weeks for a kilogram of silver. A few weeks ago, people had to spend over an hour in line to make a purchase. The ...

Taylor Swift, Love, Diamonds and Pop: Everything She Touches Turns to Gold

Marie-Christine Tayah, 14/10 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Taylor Swift Music Culture Economy Art Star

Dominating music charts, Taylor Swift leads in multiple areas, establishing herself as a worldwide sensation. The American star creates rare ripple effects across music, fashion and even finance. At 35, after announcing her engagement to American football player Travis Kelce this summer, Swift triggered an immediate reaction from millions of fans ...

Lebanon Still Charms, but Tourism Numbers Fall

Christiane Tager, 14/10 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Tourism Economy Lebanon

In the 2010s, Lebanon ranked among the world’s top tourist destinations, celebrated for its festivals, crowded beaches, boutique hotels and award-winning cuisine. Tourism then accounted for nearly a fifth of GDP and was at the very heart of the economy. Today, that postcard-perfect image has faded. Two years after a brief recovery, the sector ...

Paris Fashion Week: Where Style Pays Off

This is Beirut, 10/10 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Paris Fashion Week mode economy

Every year, the French capital doesn’t just host the world’s top fashion shows; it drives the industry’s economy. According to the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, Paris Fashion Week generates around €1.2 billion in economic impact for the city. Over several weeks, more than 110 haute couture and ready-to-wear shows unfold, ...

Foreign Competition Chokes Lebanese Agriculture

Christiane Tager, 10/10 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon economy agriculture poultry market exports

With fields overflowing and fridges full, Lebanon’s potato and poultry producers are pleading with the government: curb chaotic imports, reopen land exports to Arab markets and guarantee fair prices to ensure their survival. The situation is both serious and absurd. In the agricultural sector, the talk is no longer about the weather but about ...

From Crisis to Record: Why Gold Just Topped $4,000 an Ounce

This is Beirut, 08/10 08:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Gold Economy World Ounce Record

Gold's relentless rise reached another milestone on Wednesday as the precious metal hit $4,002.95 an ounce for the first time. "Investors continue to bid up the price of gold, with the precious metal rising more than 50 percent year to date and nearly 12 percent in September alone – one of the strongest monthly performances on record," said ...

Building Modern, Accessible Digital Finance for All

Liliane Mokbel, 03/10 16:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Economy Lebanon Yassine Jaber Finance Taxes Digital

At a press conference on Friday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber unveiled a roadmap to establish a digital financial administration that is efficient, transparent and citizen-focused. This transformation is built around four key pillars: Electronic Notifications Registered taxpayers now receive all official ...

When Art Becomes a Safe Haven

Christiane Tager, 03/10 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

New York economy art investment Lebanon

In an uncertain economic landscape, art is no longer just about decorating walls. For some, it represents a financial refuge where value can literally skyrocket in just a few years. A canvas like Pablo Picasso’s Les Femmes d’Alger (Version ‘O’) sold for more than $179 million, while Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Untitled (1982) fetched $110 ...

Ministry of Finance: No Containers Blocked at Tripoli Port

This is Beirut, 02/10 17:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Tripoli port Lebanon container economy Ministry of Finance

The Ministry of Finance has denied, in a statement issued by its press office, rumors circulating on social media claiming that Minister Yassine Jaber blocked the entry of containers at Tripoli Port. These accusations, the statement says, have been presented through a sectarian lens and are “misleading.” The statement clarifies that no ...

US Govt Shutdown Begins after Congress Fails to Reach Deal

This is Beirut, 01/10 10:21 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Economy Politics Shutdown

The US government began shutting down Wednesday after lawmakers and President Donald Trump failed to break a budget impasse during acrimonious talks that hinged on Democratic demands for health care funding. Republicans and Democrats immediately blamed each other for the deadlock that will impact hundreds of thousands of government workers and ...

BDL Leads Financial Recovery and Reassures Depositors

Liliane Mokbel, 29/09 19:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Central Bank of Lebanon Banks International Monetary Fund Lebanon economy deposits BDL

At a luncheon debate hosted by the École supérieure des affaires (ESA), Karim Souhaid, the Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL), presented his assessment of the country’s economic situation – “slowly but surely moving in the right direction” – to around 40 members of the Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF), currently on ...

Economy