According to Banque Du Liban statistics, opened letters of credit (L/Cs), a measurement tool for trade activity, increased by 130.28% during the month of February 2025 to reach LBP 572.70 billion, up from LBP 248.70 billion a month earlier. On an annual basis, however, the face value of opened L/Cs reached LBP 821.40 billion during the first two months of 2025 compared to LBP 4,667.30 billion in the same period in 2024.

Documentary L/Cs opened to finance imports activities reached LBP 599.10 billion YTD February 2025, compared to LBP 4,292.50 billion in the equivalent period in 2024. Similarly, utilized credits for imports came in lower at LBP 330.20 billion while inward bills for collection, another documentary credit form of financing (backed by invoices), fell by 7.77% to LBP 2,904.60 billion YTD February 2025, from LBP 3,149.20 billion in the same period in 2024.

In a related note, documentary L/Cs opened to finance exports activities dropped to LBP 222.30 billion YTD February 2025, from LBP 374.80 billion in the same period in 2024. Concurrently, utilized credits to finance exports decreased to LBP 334.00 billion (150.25% of opened L/Cs for exports). In parallel, the value of outward bills rose to LBP 1,179.60 billion YTD February 2025, while outstanding bills for collection sank to LBP 10,786.40 billion, from LBP 11,770.30 billion in the first two months of 2024.