Figures issued by Banque du Liban (BdL) show that the net foreign assets of the financial sector, which are a proxy for Lebanon's balance of payments, increased by $13.9bn in the first nine months of 2025, compared to increases of $6.5bn in the same period of 2024 and of $1.54bn in the first nine months of 2023.  The cumulative surplus in the first nine months of 2025 was caused by increases of $12.7bn in the net foreign assets of BdL and of $1.21bn in those of banks and financial institutions. Further, the net foreign assets of the financial sector rose by $3.82bn in September 2025 compared to increases of $1.15bn in August 2025 and of $1.36bn in September 2024.  The September increase was caused by increases of $3.78bn in the net foreign assets of BdL and of $43.8m in those of banks and financial institutions.  According to BdL figures, the cumulative rise in BdLꞌs net foreign assets reserves in the first nine months of 2025 is due mainly to an increase of $11.1bn in the value of BdL's gold reserves, which was partly offset by a decrease of $348.6m in its foreign currency reserves. Also, the rise in the banks' net foreign assets in the covered period is mostly due to increases of $429.7m in the banks' claims on the non-resident financial sector and of $23.5m in claims on non-resident customers, as well as to a decrease of $201.7m in the deposits of the non-resident financial sector, which more than offset a rise of $582.1m in non-resident customer deposits.  BdL said that it started in January 2024 to include monetary gold, the non-resident foreign securities held by BdL, and the foreign currencies & deposits with correspondent banks and international organizations as part of its foreign assets; while it excluded the Lebanese government's sovereign bonds and its loans in foreign currency to resident banks and financial institutions from the entry. It attributed the modifications to its adoption of the IMF's methodology as stipulated in the latter's Sixth Edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual and in the Monetary & Financial Statistics Manual & Compilation Guide. It added that the changes are in line with the BdL Central Council's Decision Number 37/20/24 on September 13, 2024. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank 3 - 8 Nov. 2025