Economy

Illegally Privatized Coastline: End of Impunity or a Mere Political Posturing?

Liliane Mokbel 17/04 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

After decades of laissez-faire, has the tide finally turned? Breaking with a long-standing tradition of complacency toward violations of the coastline, the government of Nawaf Salam has withdrawn three controversial decrees adopted under the Mikati administration. These decrees had legitimized the appropriation of over 140,000 square meters of ...

SpotlightJoseph Aoun Files Two Appeals Before the Constitutional Council

This is Beirut 17/04 16:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy Joseph Aoun

In a notable move, President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, submitted two appeals before the Constitutional Council. The first concerns Law No. 1, which came into force by default and relates to the rental of non-residential spaces. The second concerns Law No. 2, also effective by default, aimed at amending certain provisions regulating the ...

NSSF Expands Coverage, Adds 1,067 Medications for Reimbursement

This is Beirut 17/04 13:25 - Reading : less than a minute

NSSF Lebanon Healthcare Medications Reimbursement Coverage

Lebanon’s National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has expanded its drug coverage in a major healthcare move, adding 1,067 previously excluded medications back to its reimbursement list. The update, announced Thursday by NSSF Director General Mohammad Karake, restores up to 80% reimbursement for these drugs—returning to pre-crisis coverage ...

Numbers & FiguresUS-China: the Clash of the Titans

This is Beirut 17/04 11:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump China

As the trade war between the United States and China escalates, here is a point-by-point comparison of the world's two biggest economic powers. Geographic, demographic giants With a surface area of more than nine million square kilometres (3.5 million square miles) each, the United States and China rank among the world's four biggest ...

Op-ed‘Haircut:’ The Sharp Edge of Financial Cuts

Marc Saikali 17/04 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Gulf International Monetary Fund

Just when we thought we’d seen it all in the Lebanese saga of economic collapse, the government rolled out a new episode—one so twisted it makes a Netflix series look like a documentary on quantum physics. A draft banking reform law, rushed through cabinet, casually proposes placing the burden of the collapse on depositors and local ...

When the Giants of Chic Face Uncertainty

Christiane Tager 16/04 22:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States luxury Hermes china tariffs

The world of luxury may shine bright, but it’s not immune to economic storms. On Tuesday, the biggest names – Kering, Hermès and LVMH – saw their shares take a hit, with a stock market slump that was anything but glamorous. The biggest blow went to LVMH, whose first-quarter 2025 results showed a 2% drop in revenue. It’s the first slap in ...

Stocks Fall as US Restricts Nvidia Chip Exports to China

This is Beirut 16/04 21:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Europe New York United Kingdom

Wall Street shares fell but European stocks diverged Wednesday after the US government imposed restrictions on exports of a key Nvidia chip to China, the latest trade war salvo between the world's biggest economies. After a relatively peaceful couple of days on markets following tariff-related volatility last week, investors were once again on ...

SpotlightLebanon’s Increased IMF Subscription: A Prerequisite for Future Funding?

This is Beirut 16/04 18:49 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy IMF

The Finance and Budget Committee, chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, has tentatively approved an increase in Lebanon's contribution to the International Monetary Fund, requesting Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber to provide a study on the feasibility of raising Lebanon’s contribution by $423 million. According to Kanaan, the increase in ...

EBRD Launches New SME Support Programs in Tripoli

This is Beirut 16/04 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banks European Union

The Lebanon office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and the North, and the Business Incubation Association in Tripoli (BIAT), held a session this week to present its latest consulting programs for small and medium-sized enterprises ...

ExplainerAmendments to Banking Secrecy: The Danger of Retroactive Effect!

This is Beirut 16/04 12:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Economy Lebanon Banks

The joint parliamentary committees are currently discussing the draft law amending banking secrecy. The version approved by the government is under review and modification in Parliament. This amendment — referred from the government to Parliament by Decree No. 103 — is the second in just three years. In 2022, the banking secrecy law ...

Gold Hits an All-Time High, Dollar Declines

This is Beirut 16/04 11:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Gold

A sign of lingering market anxiety, gold — the ultimate safe-haven asset — continues to attract investors fleeing riskier assets and climbed on Wednesday to a new all-time high of $3,275 per ounce. “High uncertainty, along with increased central bank buying and expectations of rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, continues to support ...

Europe Seeks to Break its US Tech Addiction

This is Beirut 16/04 09:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Europe Donald Trump European Union Banks

With President Donald Trump more unpredictable than ever and transatlantic ties reaching new lows, calls are growing louder for Europe to declare independence from US tech. From Microsoft to Meta, Apple to Uber, cloud computing to AI, much of the day-to-day technology used by Europeans is American. The risks that brings were hotly debated before ...