The recession is making itself felt in the number of new businesses starting up and capital investments. According to the latest statistics published by the ministry of industry, the number of newly established industrial firms by the start of August this year totaled 276. That’s down 17% from the 333 firms that were started up during the same period of 1999. Capital investments declined by 16.5% from $63.5 million during the first seven months of last year to $53 million during the same period of 2000. “Considering the discouraging recession Lebanon is facing, a lot of entrepreneurs and businesses hesitate before investing and setting up ventures locally,” says Nassib Ghobril, analyst at Lebanon Invest. Signing on A Canadian delegation that was in Beirut during the first week of October signed agreements worth$ I 0.5 million. The objective of the visit was to boost trade links between Lebanon and Quebec, where
