Lebanon 2009 GDP to increase 6 percent Both Barclay’s Capital and Merrill Lynch released reports last month predicting Lebanon will see approximately 6 percent GDP growth in 2009. The reports said that deposit growth and a strong banking sector kept the country largely protected from the global financial crisis, but that political instability could significantly raise financial risks. Specifically, both reports stressed the importance of releasing the financial burden caused by Électricité du Liban, which accounts for nearly 55 percent of the country’s 2008 budget deficit. Further, the reports said privatization of the of the telecom sector would be an instrumental tool in bringing down the public debt. Barclays predicted that 2010 GDP growth will decrease to 5 percent while Merrill Lynch, whose 2009 prediction was 5.8 percent, predicted 4.5 percent growth for 2010. UAE injection delayed The United Arab Emirates finance ministry has delayed a previously planned $5.5 billion
