Lebanon faces a lot of big IFs in 2019

Since 2011, Lebanon’s economy has been exhibiting recessionary symptoms. Economic growth slowed from 8 percent in 2010 to 0.6 percent in 2017, as measured by the country’s public bean counter, the Central Administration of Statistics. For 2018, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected GDP growth at just 1 percent. At the time of this writing, Lebanon has not yet formed a government in the seven months since parliamentary elections in May 2018, but there is room for speculation that it may be formed before the end of 2018, or hopefully in early Q1 of 2019. Cabinet formation could unblock decision making that would lead to a reassurance of confidence in the country. Confidence has not dramatically fallen on the financial and banking side of things, but expatriate confidence in particular could use strengthening. There has been a lot of energy channeled toward fear that could be eliminated, so formation of