On the current account side of the balance of payments, Lebanon’s balance of trade deficit widened by $579.97 million (12.94%) on an annual basis to around $5.06 billion during the first four months of 2025, up from around $4.48 billion in the same period in 2024, according to statistics published by the Lebanese Customs Administration. Said rise in the deficit was triggered by some $757.67 million increase (13.87%) in imports to just below $6.22 billion which totally outweighed the $178.00 million annual increase (18.13%) in exports to $1.16 billion.

Switzerland led the list of countries importing from Lebanon, with its imports’ invoice aggregating to $284 million (24.51% of Lebanon’s exports). China, on the other hand, topped the list of countries exporting to Lebanon, with its exports bill reaching $657 million (10.57% of Lebanon’s imports). This is further elaborated in the tables below:

Exports of “pearls, precious stones and metals” accounted alone for 39.00% ($452 million) of total Lebanese exports up to April 2025, followed by “base metals and their products” ($181 million <15.62%>), “prepared foodstuffs; beverages & tobacco” ($136 million <11.72%>), and “machinery; electrical instruments” ($81 million <7.00%>). On the other hand, “mineral products” constituted the lion’s share of imported goods ($1,637 million <26.31%>), trailed by “pearls, precious stones and metals” ($1,045 million <16.80%>), “products of the chemical industry” ($510 million <8.20%>), and “machinery; electrical instruments” ($482 million <7.75%>).