On the current account side of the balance of payments, Lebanon’s balance of trade deficit widened by $542.42 million (8.14%) y-o-y in the first five months of 2026 to just above $7.20 billion up from around $6.66 billion in the same period in 2025, according to statistics published by the Lebanese Customs Administration. Said rise in the deficit was buoyed by some $233.29 million annual decrease (15.76%) in exports to $1,247 million (in part attributed to the recent war) coupled with a $309.13 million (3.80%) increase in imports to around $8.45 billion.

Switzerland led the list of countries importing from Lebanon, with its imports’ invoice aggregating to $203 million (16.28% of Lebanon’s exports). China, on the other hand, topped the list of countries exporting to Lebanon, with its exports bill reaching $1,043 million (12.34% of Lebanon’s imports). This is further elaborated in the tables below:

Exports of “pearls, precious stones and metals” accounted alone for 28.15% ($351 million) of total Lebanese exports YTD May 2026, followed by “base metals and their products” ($205 million <16.47%>), “prepared foodstuffs, beverages & tobacco” ($174 million <13.93%>), and “machinery and electrical instruments” ($148 million <11.88%>). On the other hand, “mineral products” constituted the lion’s share of imported goods ($2,007 million <23.75%>), trailed by “pearls, precious stones and metals” ($1,243 million <14.71%>), “products of the chemical industry” ($812 million <9.61%>), and “machinery and electrical instruments” ($755 million <8.94%>).