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 $7.7bn in the first two months of 2026, compared to an increase of $3.1bn in the same period of 2025 and a decrease of $21.5m in the first two months of 2024.  The cumulative surplus in the first two months of 2026 was caused by increases of $7.36bn in the net foreign assets of BdL and of $345.4m in those of banks and financial institutions. Further, the net foreign assets of the financial sector rose by $1.96bn in February 2026 compared to a surge of $5.74bn in January 2025 and to an increase of $919.1m in February 2025. The February rise was caused by increases of $1.82bn in the net foreign assets of BdL and of $142.9m in those of banks and financial institutions. According to BdL figures, the cumulative rise in BdLꞌs net foreign assets reserves in the first two months of 2026 is due mainly to an increase of $7.38bn in the value of BdL's gold reserves, which was partly offset by a decrease of $941.5m in its foreign currency reserves during the covered period.  Also, the rise in the net foreign assets of banks in the covered period is mostly due to increases of $80.6m in the banks' claims on the non-resident financial sector, of $5.5m in claims on non-resident customers, and a decrease of $60.8m in non-resident customer deposits, which were offset by a rise of $59.7m in the deposits of the non-resident financial sector 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, LTW, 30 March -11 April 2026