Figures compiled by fDi Markets and released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show that Lebanon attracted 11 Greenfield foreign direct investment projects for a total of $97.1m in 2017, relative to 10 projects worth $110.4m in 2016. The number of Greenfield projects increased by 10% year-on-year, while the amount of Greenfield FDI dropped by 12% in 2017. In comparison, Lebanon attracted seven projects in 2015 worth $74.9m, 10 projects in 2014 for a total of $1.2bn, and 16 projects in 2013 valued at $105.7m.

Globally, Lebanon was the 11th smallest recipient of Greenfield FDI in nominal terms among 129 economies with a nominal GDP of $10bn or more, and when excluding tax haven islands, as well as the fourth smallest recipient of Greenfield FDI among 16 Arab countries. Also, Lebanon attracted the 63rd lowest number of Greenfield projects globally and the fifth lowest number of projects among Arab countries last year, ahead of only Iraq (10 projects), Syria (three projects), Mauritania (two projects), and Djibouti (one project).

The FDI figures cover cross-border Greenfield projects that lead to the direct creation of jobs and capital investment. They include joint ventures when these transactions lead to a new physical Greenfield operation. The figures exclude mergers and acquisitions and other equity investments. fDi Markets is a database that tracks cross-border Greenfield investments across the world, and is owned by the Financial Times Group.

Lebanon was one of 78 countries globally and 13 Arab economies that saw a decrease in inward Greenfield FDI in 2017. Also, Lebanon was one of 69 countries worldwide that posted a double-digit decline in Greenfield FDI inflows last year. In comparison, the amount of inward Greenfield FDI projects to Arab economies decreased by 24.6% year-on-year, while Greenfield FDI to developing economies dropped by 28.7% and global Greenfield FDI regressed by 13.6%. The amount of Greenfield FDI in Lebanon accounted for 0.14% of total Greenfield FDI in Arab countries last year, nearly unchanged from 0.12% in 2016. It also represented 0.03% of total flows to developing economies and 0.01% of global Greenfield FDI in 2017. Further, the amount of Greenfield FDI in Lebanon was equivalent to 0.2% of GDP in 2017, the lowest such ratio in the Arab world.

Figures released by the Association of Automobile Importers in Lebanon show that dealers sold 13,047 new passenger cars in the first five months of 2018, constituting a decrease of 5.7% from 13,836 cars sold in the same period of 2017. Individuals and institutional clients purchased 2,489 new cars in January, 2,256 new vehicles in February, 2,901 automobiles in March, 2,539 new cars in April and 2,862 vehicles in May 2018.

Japanese cars accounted for 39% of total car sales in the first five months of 2018, followed by Korean vehicles with a 30.7% share, European automobiles (20%), American cars (7.6%) and Chinese vehicles (2.8%). The sales of new Chinese cars jumped by 2.5 times in the covered period and demand for Japanese automobiles grew by 3.9% year-on-year. In contrast, demand for European automobiles regressed by 14.5%, the sales of Korean vehicles decreased by 13.4% and the number of American cars sold declined by 11.8% year-on-year in the covered period.

Kia is the leading brand in the Lebanese market with 2,195 vehicles sold in the first five months of 2018, followed by Hyundai with 1,805 new cars sold, Toyota (1,708), Nissan (1,376) and Suzuki (543). In parallel, car dealers sold 884 new commercial vehicles in the covered period, down by 25.5% from 1,186 commercial vehicles purchased in the first five months of 2017. Overall, car dealers sold 13,931 new passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the first five months of 2018, down by 7.3% from 15,022 cars sold in the same period of 2017.

In parallel, Lebanon's top five distributors sold 8,740 vehicles in the first five months of 2018 and accounted for 62.7% of new car sales. NATCO sal sold 2,206 vehicles, equivalent to 15.8% of the total, followed by Rasamny Younis Motor Co. sal with 1,954 automobiles (14%), Boustany United Machineries sal with 1,850 cars and Century Motor Co. sal with 1,849 vehicles (13.3% each), and Bassoul Heneiné sal with 881 cars (6.3%).

Figures released by the Association of Insurance Companies in Lebanon (ACAL) indicate that insurance premiums generated in Lebanon totaled $478.2m in the first quarter of 2018, constituting an increase of 7% from $446.9m in the same quarter of 2017. 

Medical insurance premiums totaled $188.2m in the first quarter of 2018 and accounted for 39.4% of the sector's aggregate premiums. Life insurance premiums followed with $116.7m (24.4%), then motor insurance with $95.2m (19.9%), fire premiums with $35.8m (7.5%), workmen compensation premiums with $15.5m (3.2%), cargo premiums with $8m (1.7%), public liability premiums with $5.7m (1.2%), engineering premiums with $2m (0.4%) and credit insurance premiums with $1.5m (0.3%), while premiums from other categories amounted to $9.6m and accounted for 2% of the total.

Further, ACAL indicated that total benefits and claims paid by insurance companies stood at $215.4m in the first quarter of 2018, constituting a decrease of 11% from $243m in the same quarter of 2017. Benefits and claims paid for the non-life categories reached $163.4m in the covered quarter, constituting an increase of 3% from $158.6m in the first quarter of 2017, while claims disbursed for the life insurance category amounted to $52m and decreased by 38.3% year-on-year from $84.4m in the first quarter of 2017.