Export Orders Fall at Sharpest Rate in Six Years in April 2026

The BLOM Lebanon PMI for April 2026 increased marginally from 47.4 in March 2026 to 48.2 in April, staying below 50.0 threshold for the second month in a row, indicating deteriorating. private sector conditions in Lebanon amid persistence of military escalation between Hezbollah and Israel. The decline is mainly attributed to decrease in new orders from overseas. This wider contraction is driven by the persistence of the war in Lebanon coupled by war in the region. However, new orders in Lebanon contracted but at a softer pace due to the incomplete ceasefire agreement reached on April 17th, 2026. This led to contraction of private businesses’ output at a softer pace compared to March 2026. Meanwhile, rise in inflationary pressures reached highest since early 2023 as firms reported increase in shipping and import costs. The increases resulted mainly from the closure of Hormuz strait. The geo-political tensions in the region also weighed on Lebanon’s private sector confidence, as “Business Expectations” index dropped to 19.2, reflecting increased pessimism of private sector’s expectations for business activity over the next 12 months.

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