This is Beirut, 17/09 15:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Artificial intelligence could boost the value of global trade by almost 40 percent by 2040 thanks to cost reductions and productivity gains, the World Trade Organization said Wednesday. In its latest annual World Trade Report, the WTO identified AI as one of the few bright spots as the global trading system has been upended by the United States ...
This is Beirut, 17/09 12:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump United Kingdom United States Economy AI Nuclear
President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK has delivered pledges from US tech giants to invest a combined $42 billion to help drive Britain's AI sector. The UK and US governments, meanwhile, agreed on cooperation over nuclear and space technology as part of a "Tech Prosperity Deal", and British pharmaceutical group GSK pledged investment in ...
Liliane Mokbel, 17/09 10:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Issuing higher-denomination banknotes for the Lebanese pound is simply common sense, given that the largest note currently in circulation is LBP 100,000—worth about USD 1. The others are worth even less: LBP 50,000 (roughly USD 0.50), LBP 20,000, LBP 10,000, and LBP 5,000. Lebanon has been in the grip of a currency collapse for six years, with ...
This is Beirut, 16/09 19:40 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon economy finance stamps
After months of chronic shortage that fueled frustration and a black market, the Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday that fiscal stamps of all categories are now available, but only at accredited centers. In a statement, the Ministry of Finance specified that their distribution will be expanded to a larger number of accredited centers as ...
Liliane Mokbel, 12/09 15:40 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Central Bank of Lebanon Banks Banque du Liban Lebanon economy BDL
In a country where figures are often subject to interpretation and fiscal data remains scarce or unreliable, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) seeks to reaffirm its role as a reference point for institutional investors and international markets. It also aims to provide citizens with clear benchmarks to better understand the rationale and direction ...
Liliane Mokbel, 03/09 15:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
EDL Central Bank of Lebanon Banks Lebanon economy
Electricité du Liban (EDL) collection agents occasionally remember to bill subscribers. Neighborhood generator operators, on the other hand, never forget the last day of the month. They collect payments even before reading meters, already knowing exactly how much they will extract. The idea of EDL self-financing its fuel purchases remains ...
Christiane Tager, 02/09 15:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon economy communication Internet Mobile phone Alfa Touch
For years, Lebanon has struggled with failing essential services and soaring costs. This also applies to the mobile phone sector. With “adjusted” plans and unreliable networks, subscribers oscillate between resignation and frustration, all while waiting for a clear signal, both figuratively and literally. Here’s an example of a revision and ...
Paul Guillot, 01/09 15:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Banks Europe Iran Economy Sanctions
Three months after the “twelve-day war” with Israel, Iran is struggling to keep its economy afloat under severe US sanctions. With mounting military pressure, the return of European sanctions and the continuing collapse of its currency, the Islamic Republic has never been more vulnerable. Fragile Growth Despite decades of international ...
Liliane Mokbel, 31/08 20:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon economy Budget 2026 Taxes Reforms
For 2026, the Finance Minister has promised a deficit-free budget, with revenues and expenditures in balance. An attractive prospect, but at what cost to Lebanese households? Tax hikes and new levies could quickly turn that balance into a burden for taxpayers. The draft budget has been submitted to the General Secretariat of the Council of ...
This is Beirut, 27/08 15:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Buoyed by a net profit and revenue increase of more than 10% in the first half of the year, Danish toy giant Lego plans to continue gaining market share despite a volatile global environment, the company’s CEO said in an interview with AFP on Wednesday. “In recent years, we’ve consistently outpaced market growth and gained share,” said ...
This is Beirut, 21/08 21:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Trump Israel Hezbollah Economy Security
The Trump administration has asked Israel to reduce non-urgent military operations in Lebanon to support a wider disarmament initiative, while planning a “Trump economic zone” in parts of southern Lebanon, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Officials say the limitation could be extended if the Lebanese Armed Forces take ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 16:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Banks Central Bank of Lebanon Gulf lebanon economy
The latest index of the Beirut Traders Association-Fransabank (Q2 2025) shows the first signs of a recovery in local markets, a welcome development as the World Bank forecasts 4.7% GDP growth for Lebanon in 2025 and a sharp drop in inflation. The retail trade index rose to 33.13 points in Q2 2025, up from 30.01 the previous quarter (base 100 = Q4 ...