Economy

EBRD Launches New SME Support Programs in Tripoli
EBRD Launches New SME Support Programs in Tripoli

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 ...

Amendments to Banking Secrecy: The Danger of Retroactive Effect!
ExplainerAmendments to Banking Secrecy: The Danger of Retroactive Effect!

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
Gold Hits an All-Time High, Dollar Declines

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
Europe Seeks to Break its US Tech Addiction

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 ...

Lebanon–Qatar–UAE: Time for Business and Strategic Handshakes
Lebanon–Qatar–UAE: Time for Business and Strategic Handshakes

The visit, which began Tuesday in Doha, aims to solidify bilateral relations and formally acknowledge Qatar’s support during Lebanon’s recent presidential election. However, beyond symbolic gestures, high-level discussions will focus on economic recovery, energy cooperation, and Qatar’s potential role in stabilizing Lebanon’s ailing ...

Trump Says 'Ball is in China's Court' on Tariffs
Trump Says 'Ball is in China's Court' on Tariffs

US President Donald Trump believes it is up to China, not the United States, to come to the negotiating table on trade, the White House said Tuesday as tensions escalate between the world's two biggest economies. "The ball is in China's court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don't have to make a deal with them," said ...

Stocks Rise on Bank Earnings, Auto Tariff Hopes
Stocks Rise on Bank Earnings, Auto Tariff Hopes

Stock markets rose Tuesday as investors digested strong bank earnings and shares in several auto giants surged over hopes of tariffs relief from US President Donald Trump. Some stability has returned to markets after last week's roller-coaster ride over Trump's stop-start tariff announcements, but uncertainty remains over speculation of new ...

Trump Says China 'Reneged' on Boeing Deal as Tensions Flare
Trump Says China 'Reneged' on Boeing Deal as Tensions Flare

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that China has gone back on a major Boeing deal, after a news report that Beijing ordered airlines not to take further deliveries of the US aviation giant's jets. Trump's comments on social media followed a Bloomberg news report about the halt. The report also said that Beijing requested Chinese carriers to ...

Beirut Chamber of Commerce Unveils Interactive Robot to Modernize Services
Beirut Chamber of Commerce Unveils Interactive Robot to Modernize Services

The Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, led by former Minister Mohammad Choucair, unveiled an interactive robot on Tuesday aimed at streamlining procedures for its members. The launch was attended by Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Bisat. The cutting-edge initiative is designed to enhance visitor reception ...

Ukraine-US Hold 'Constructive' Talks on Minerals Deal
Ukraine-US Hold 'Constructive' Talks on Minerals Deal

Talks last week between the United States and Ukraine on a proposed minerals deal were "constructive," a senior official familiar with the discussions told AFP on Monday. "The meeting was normal, no problems; everyone says that they talked constructively," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, after a meeting in Washington on ...

Easter in Lebanon: On Hold
Easter in Lebanon: On Hold

Lebanon is getting ready for a colorful Easter weekend, full of reunions and, hopefully, calm. Between the announced return of many expatriates and the timid arrival of a few tourists, the atmosphere promises to be lively in the streets and restaurants… but perhaps a little less so in the hotels. Travel agencies are sounding the alarm: flights ...

Rasamny Aims to Strengthen Lebanon’s Key Infrastructure
Rasamny Aims to Strengthen Lebanon’s Key Infrastructure

In an interview with Al-Anbaa newspaper, Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny affirmed that the security of Beirut International Airport (BIA) is a national priority, emphasizing that all current security measures are managed exclusively by the competent Lebanese authorities. He stated that this commitment is reflected in ...