Lebanon's consumer price inflation eased to a 19-month low of 3.15 percent year-on-year in February of 2019 from 3.17 percent in the previous month. Inflation slowed for: food & non-alcoholic beverages (6.54 pct vs 7.67 pct in January); health (1.64 pct vs 2.51 pct); clothing & footwear (6.84 pct vs 7.45 pct); education (5.19 vs 5.40 pct); recreation & culture (5.33 pct vs 5.52 pct); and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.04 pct vs 1.09 pct). In addition, communication prices fell (-0.17 percent vs 0.03 pct). Meantime, prices rose faster for: housing & utilities (3.48 pct vs 2.83 pct in January); household goods & furnishings (5.13 pct vs 4.67 pct); miscellaneous goods & services (2.48 pct vs 2.42 pct). On the other hand, transport prices continued to decline (-2.46 pct vs -2.70 pct). On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.18 percent, after decreasing by 0.73 percent in January. Inflation Rate in Lebanon averaged 2.66 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.