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Paying more for the same Prices of consumer goods in Lebanon continue to rise, with last month’s consumer price index, the major indicator of inflation, showing that the trend of increasing prices since 2000 continues unabated. Even though real estate and communication prices remained steady, the first half of this year witnessed a 6 percent increase in inflation compared to June 2010 levels, according to the Central Administration of Statistics, though many economists fear that actual inflation may be much higher. The rise in prices was mostly attributed to an increase in the price of clothing and footwear (+21.1 percent), electricity, water, gas and other fuels (+13.1 percent), as well as more moderate rises in the price of education, restaurants and hotels. According to the International Monetary Fund the index hit 127.62 in 2009 and is expected to exceed the 150 mark in 2015. Most analysts agree that Lebanon imports