Consumer prices in Lebanon increased 4.01 percent year-on-year in April 2019, easing from a 4.08 percent gain in the previous month. Prices rose at a softer pace for housing & utilities (4.18 percent vs 4.65 percent in March); food and non-alcoholic beverages (5.62 percent vs 6.86 percent); miscellaneous goods & services (2.19 percent vs 2.39 percent); furnishings & household equipment (4.82 percent vs 4.85 percent); recreation & culture (6.65 percent vs 6.86 percent); restaurant & hotels (1.58 percent vs 1.88 percent) and alcoholic beverages & tobacco (0.87 percent vs 0.96 percent). In addition, cost continued to decline for health (-2.23 percent vs -1.96 percent) and communication (-0.32 percent, the same as in March). On the other hand, transport cost rebounded (0.83 percent vs -0.17 percent) while inflation was steady for education (at 5.08 percent). On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.47 percent, following a 1.73 percent rise in March. Inflation Rate in Lebanon averaged 2.69 percent from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 11.10 percent in October of 2012 and a record low of -4.67 percent in September of 2015.
Inflation Rate in Lebanon is expected to be 3.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Inflation Rate in Lebanon to stand at 3.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Lebanon Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 2.40 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.