Economic Digest

Short analyses about Lebanon’s latest economic indicators, updated on a monthly basis

Lebanon’s Balance of Payments recorded a $5.19B Deficit by May 2019

According to the Central Bank, Lebanon’s Balance of Payments (BoP) registered a deficit of $5.19B by May 2019, up from the $430M surplus by May 2018. In details, BDL’s Net Foreign Assets (NFAs) fell by $3B ... read more

IMF Staff Concluding Statement of the 2019 Article IV Mission

In its staff concluding statement of the 2019 Article IV mission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) presented the current Lebanese economic outlook and discussed the different fiscal and structural ... read more

BDL’s Total Assets Dropped by 8.64% y-t-d to $128.45B by June 2019

According to the central bank’s (BDL) balance sheet, total assets dropped by 8.64% year-to-date (YTD), to reach $128.45B in June 2019. In fact, the changes in the most accounts can be related to the ... read more

Transfers to EDL Rose yearly by 32.26% to stand at $1.76B by December 2018

According to the Ministry of Finance, transfers to EDL witnessed a significant yearly increase of 32.26% to reach $ 1.76B by December 2018. In details “Payments to fuel and oil gas suppliers KPC and SPC” ... read more

Number of Construction Permits down by 19.19% to 4,927 by May 2019

According to the Orders of Engineers in Beirut and Tripoli, the total number of construction permits fell by a yearly 19.19% to reach 4,927 by May 2019. Accordingly, the Construction Area Authorized by ... read more

Moody’s Affirmed Caa1 Stable Rating for Lebanese Government Bonds

In June 2019, Moody’s affirmed Lebanon’s government bond rating at “Caa1 Stable”. The “stable “outlook reflects a possibility that a government default is avoided if the latter implements significant ... read more

Value of Kafalat Guarantees Down to $4.42M by May 2019

According to Kafalat, the number of loan guarantees dropped from 179 guarantees by May 2018 to 37 loans by May 2019. The overall value of the guarantees also plunged from $23.12M in the same period of 2018 ... read more

Tourist Arrivals at an 8-year High of 692,704 by May 2019

The latest figures released by Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism revealed a remarkable growth in the tourism sector in the first five months of 2019, foreshadowing a promising summer season which is usually ... read more

Lebanon’s Fiscal Deficit Up by 66.29% to $6.25B by the End of 2018

Lebanon’s fiscal deficit expanded from $3.75B by December 2017 to $6.25B (10.87% of GDP) by December 2018 the highest since 2010 according to the records of the Ministry of Finance. This was attributed to ... read more

Average Inflation Rate at 3.58% y-o-y by May 2019

Lebanon’s average consumer prices rose by 3.58% year-on-year (y-o-y) by May 2019 compared to an annual uptick of 5.68% recorded in the same period of 2018, as per the Central Administration of Statistics ... read more

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Economic Digest