On the current account side of the balance of payments, Lebanon’s balance of trade deficit widened by $254.23 million (23.06%) y-o-y in January 2026 to around $1.36 billion up from around $1.10 billion in January 2025, according to statistics published by the Lebanese Customs Administration. Said rise in the deficit was triggered by some $156.04 million annual decrease (47.83%) in exports to $170 million coupled with a $98.19 million increase (6.87%) in imports to just below $1.53 billion.

The United Arab Emirates led the list of countries importing from Lebanon, with its imports’ invoice aggregating to $27 million (15.86% of Lebanon’s exports). Switzerland, on the other hand, topped the list of countries exporting to Lebanon, with its exports bill reaching $212 million (13.88% of Lebanon’s imports). This is further elaborated in the tables below:

Exports of “pearls, precious stones and metals” accounted alone for 27.45% ($47 million) of total Lebanese exports in January 2026, followed by “base metals and their products” ($28 million <16.26%>), “prepared foodstuffs, beverages & tobacco” ($22 million <13.11%>), and “machinery and electrical instruments” ($15 million <8.92%>). On the other hand, “pearls, precious stones and metals” constituted the lion’s share of imported goods ($410 million <26.83%>), trailed by “mineral products” ($280 million <18.33%>), “products of the chemical industry” ($146 million <9.53%>), and “machinery and electrical instruments” ($110 million <7.20%>).