The 2018 Mercer survey on the quality of living around the world ranked Beirut as the 181st most desirable city for overall living standards among 231 cities worldwide and in 14th place among 22 cities in the Arab world. Also, Beirut ranked in 48th place among 57 cities in upper middle-income countries (UMICs) included in the survey. In comparison, Beirut ranked in 180th place globally and in 14th place regionally in the 2017 survey. Based on the 221 cities that were included in both the 2010 and 2018 surveys, Beirut came in 171st place globally in 2018 and improved by one spot from 172nd place in the 2010 survey. It was among 115 cities whose rank improved, while the rank of 76 cities regressed and that of 30 cities was unchanged between 2010 and 2018.

On a global basis, the quality of living in Beirut is better than in Cotonou in Benin, Maputo in Mozambique and Algiers in Algeria; and is less appealing than in Cairo in Egypt, San Salvador in El Salvador and Blantyre in Malawi. Also, Beirut's quality of living is better than in Algiers, Minsk in Belarus and Havana in Cuba; and is less appealing than in Saint Petersburg in Russia, Tirana in Albania and Almaty in Kazakhstan among UMICs. Vienna has the highest quality of living in the world and Dubai remains the city with the best living standards in the Arab world; while the survey considered Baghdad to be the world's least appealing city in terms of quality of living. 

Bloomberg's quarterly survey of economists and analysts about the outlook on the Lebanese economy projected real GDP growth at 2.1% in 2018, compared to a September 2017 forecast of 2.4%, while it expected growth to accelerate to 2.6% in 2019. The individual forecasts of growth rates for 2018 ranged from 1.5% to 3.3%, while the consensus forecast among 77.8% of participants is that real GDP would grow by 2% or less this year. The results displayed a median real GDP growth figure of 2% for the year. The survey's results are based on the opinions of nine economists and analysts based in Lebanon and abroad. Bloomberg conducted the poll between March 18 and March 21, 2018. 

In parallel, respondents assigned an average probability of 16.7% for Lebanon to enter into recession in the next 12 months. The opinions of surveyed economists ranged between 10% and 20%. The poll's results indicated a median probability of 20% for a recession in 2018.

The Board of Directors of Byblos Bank sal announced that it will propose to the Annual Ordinary General Assembly the distribution of LBP212 ($0.14) in dividends per share to holders of common shares, and of $8 (LBP12,060) per share to the holders of Preferred Shares Class 2008 and Preferred Shares Class 2009. Also, the Bank plans to pay in US dollars the equivalent of LBP212 per share to GDR holders through the Bank of New York Mellon. Upon the General Assembly's approval, the dividends on common and preferred shares will be paid starting on April 26, 2018 net of a 10% withholding tax, while those on GDRs will be disbursed starting on May 2, 2018 after deducting the withholding tax and other expenses. Byblos Bank's share capital consists of 565,515,040 common shares, 2,000,000 Class 2008 Preferred Shares and 2,000,000 Class 2009 Preferred Shares. 

In parallel, the Board of Directors of Byblos Bank sal invited the Bank's shareholders to attend the Annual General Assembly on April 20, 2018. The agenda of the meeting includes examining the Board of Directors' and the auditors' general reports for 2017, approving the financial statements of fiscal year 2017, granting clearance to the Chairman and Board members for their administrative duties during 2017, and determining the remuneration of the auditors and the emoluments of the Board members and members of Board Committees for 2017, among other tasks.