Economy

Abboud: No Increase in Airfares
Abboud: No Increase in Airfares

President of the Syndicate of Travel Agencies Jean Abboud reassured travelers that "the rise in oil prices has not affected airfares, as fuel is not the only factor determining airline operating costs." He emphasized in a press release that "despite the continuing rise in oil prices, ticket prices will not be impacted until the cost of fuel ...

Itani: Port Employees Are Not on Strike
Itani: Port Employees Are Not on Strike

Omar Itani, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Port of Beirut, was keen to clarify on Wednesday that the container stacking process inside the port that the Food Importers' Syndicate President referred to was caused by a strike by department employees of relevant ministries, such as those of Agriculture and Economy, ...

Federation of Bakeries Syndicates: Civil Servants' Strike Affects the Economic Cycle
Federation of Bakeries Syndicates: Civil Servants' Strike Affects the Economic Cycle

Lebanon's Federation of Bakeries Syndicates said on Wednesday that the only solution to the ministry employees' open strike is to do them justice by asserting their rights as quickly as possible in order to avoid further financial losses for the state and stakeholders, including bakeries. In a statement, the Federation of Bakeries ...

Inflation: 177.25% Year-on-Year
Inflation: 177.25% Year-on-Year

Inflation remains high, at 177.25% year-on-year (January 2023 to January 2024) and 2.87% for January 2024 alone, according to the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS). The price of housing and utilities, which includes water, electricity, gas and other fuels, rose by 208.54%. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 180.96%. ...

Bayram, Choucair, and Asmar Discuss Minimum Wage and Educational Funds
Bayram, Choucair, and Asmar Discuss Minimum Wage and Educational Funds

The path to increasing the minimum wage and educational funds in the private sector was central to the discussions on Tuesday between Caretaker Minister of Labor Moustafa Bayram, Chairman of the Lebanese Economic Organizations and former minister Mohammad Choucair, and President of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers, Bechara ...

Will Lebanon Witness a Gasoline Shortage?
Will Lebanon Witness a Gasoline Shortage?

Fadi Abou Chakra, head of the fuel distributors’ syndicate in Lebanon, urged the Lebanese government, particularly Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, to swiftly address the ongoing strike by civil servants and the General Directorate of Oil. He emphasized that a prompt resolution is crucial to prevent citizens from bearing the ...

The CNSS Strives to Recover
The CNSS Strives to Recover

The National Social Security Fund (CNSS), left to its own devices to recover its reserve funds in Lebanese pounds, has decided to take action. The National Social Security Fund has taken significant decisions to bolster its reserves and restore its role as a ‘partial safety net’ for healthcare for low- and middle-income individuals. The CNSS ...

Lebanon Lost an Estimated 7-10 Billion USD From Gaza War
Lebanon Lost an Estimated 7-10 Billion USD From Gaza War

Caretaker Minister of Economy and Trade Amin Salam stated on Monday that Lebanon was significantly impacted by the repercussions of the war in Gaza, with the agricultural and tourism sectors bearing the brunt of this impact. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Salam explained that the agricultural sector suffered substantial damage, asserting ...

Standard & Poor's: Shaky Reform Implementation
Standard & Poor's: Shaky Reform Implementation

The American rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has maintained Lebanon's foreign currency bonds rating at SD/SD and its Lebanese pound-denominated debt securities rating at CC/C, with a steady negative long-term outlook. The agency attributed the negative outlook on the pound-denominated debt to the potential restructuring of this debt ...

A Looming Solution to the Public Sector’s Salaries?
A Looming Solution to the Public Sector’s Salaries?

Following numerous strikes, protests and controversies, a solution to the issue of salaries and retirement pensions within the public sector might materialize. After postponing Friday's Council of Ministers meeting, which was meant to address this matter, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a series of consultations within recent hours. ...

WTO Allocates $50 Million to Female Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
WTO Allocates $50 Million to Female Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

On Sunday, the General Director of the WTO, Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, announced the launch of a $50 million fund aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs from developing countries in expanding their exports through opportunities offered by the digital economy. The announcement was made on the eve of the opening of the 13th Ministerial ...

Yassin Signs Memorandum of Cooperation With UNDP
Yassin Signs Memorandum of Cooperation With UNDP

On Friday, Caretaker Minister of Environment Nasser Yassin signed a memorandum of cooperation between his ministry, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), represented by Deputy Resident Representative Mohamed Salih, and Cedre Oxygen, represented by Managing Director Anthony Jabbour, on the occasion of the launch of the "Lebanon Green ...