On the current account side of the balance of payments, Lebanon’s balance of trade deficit widened by $0.94 billion (9.74%) y-o-y in the first eight months of 2025 to around $10.57 billion at end of August, up from around $9.63 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 $1.39 billion increase (12.08%) in imports to just below $12.94 billion, which totally eroded the $456 million annual increase (23.90%) in exports to $2.37 billion.

Switzerland led the list of countries importing from Lebanon, with its imports’ invoice aggregating to $533 million (22.52% of Lebanon’s exports). China, on the other hand, topped the list of countries exporting to Lebanon, with its exports bill reaching $1.52 billion (11.72% of Lebanon’s imports). This is further elaborated in the tables below:

Exports of “pearls, precious stones and metals” accounted alone for 35.99% ($852 million) of total Lebanese exports up to August 2025, followed by “base metals and their products” ($355 million <14.99%>), “prepared foodstuffs; beverages & tobacco” ($280 million <11.83%>), and products of the chemical industry” ($237 million <10.03%>). On the other hand, “mineral products” constituted the lion’s share of imported goods ($3,280 million <25.36%>), trailed by “pearls, precious stones and metals” ($1,819 million <14.06%>), “products of the chemical industry” ($1,067 million <8.25%>), and “machinery and electrical instruments” ($1,022 million <7.90%>).