Lebanon's economy booms first quarter

This increase compares to a yearly decline of 0.5 percent in the coincident indicator witnessed in the first three months of 2011

Figures released by the Central Bank of Lebanon show that the coincident indicator – a composite monitor of economic activity developed to observe Lebanon’s macroeconomic performance – reached an average of 259.5 points during the first three months of 2012. This is up by 3.7 percent relative to the same period last year.

This increase compares to a yearly decline of 0.5 percent in the coincident indicator witnessed in the first three months of 2011, a period during which the country was in the midst of political bickering.

From February 2012, the average coincident indicator took an upturn and rose by 1 percent against an increase of 0.6 percent in March 2011, relative to February 2011.