Despite inflation, Lebanese PMI hits record high

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s private sector continued its rebound in September, posting its strongest performance since records began more than a decade ago.The Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, published monthly by Blominvest, rose to 51.5 points in September from 50.3 in August. That marked its second straight month of expansion and its highest level since the survey was launched in 2013.The gains came despite persistent caution among businesses, which cited political and security uncertainty as major risks. Lebanon is only beginning to recover from the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel that ended with a fragile cease-fire in November 2024.The contrast remains stark: while Lebanon’s annual inflation rate is among the highest in the region — 14.17 percent in August, according to the Central Administration of Statistics — the PMI has...