On the current account side of the balance of payments, Lebanon’s balance of trade deficit widened by $1.03 billion (12.40%) y-o-y in the first seven months of 2025 to around $9.34 billion at end of July, up from around $8.31 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 $1.47 billion increase (14.69%) in imports to just below $11.46 billion which totally eroded the $437 million annual increase (26.04%) in exports to ~$2.12 billion.

Switzerland led the list of countries importing from Lebanon, with its imports’ invoice aggregating to $486 million (22.98% of Lebanon’s exports). China, on the other hand, topped the list of countries exporting to Lebanon, with its exports bill reaching $1.33 billion (11.65% of Lebanon’s imports). This is further elaborated in the tables below:

Exports of “pearls, precious stones and metals” accounted alone for 37.28% ($789 million) of total Lebanese exports up to July 2025, followed by “base metals and their products” ($312 million <14.77%>), “prepared foodstuffs; beverages & tobacco” ($247 million <11.67%>), and products of the chemical industry” ($203 million <9.61%>). On the other hand, “mineral products” constituted the lion’s share of imported goods ($2,814 million <24.56%>), trailed by “pearls, precious stones and metals” ($1,751 million <15.29%>), “products of the chemical industry” ($952 million <8.31%>), and “machinery; electrical instruments” ($915 million <7.98%>).