Lebanon Prosecutor Interrogates Bankers Over Capital Flight

Lebanese withdraw money from ATMs in the capital Beirut after the country imposed restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad in an attempt to conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves | AFP
Lebanese withdraw money from ATMs in the capital Beirut after the country imposed restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad in an attempt to conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves | AFP
TT
20

Lebanon Prosecutor Interrogates Bankers Over Capital Flight

Lebanese withdraw money from ATMs in the capital Beirut after the country imposed restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad in an attempt to conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves | AFP
Lebanese withdraw money from ATMs in the capital Beirut after the country imposed restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad in an attempt to conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves | AFP

A Lebanese prosecutor Monday questioned bankers over more than 2 billion dollars in capital flight in past months despite strict banking restrictions in the crisis-hit country, judicial sources said.

Banks have since September imposed increasingly tight limits on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad as part of measures to tackle a severe liquidity crisis.

But bankers stand accused of having sent millions of dollars abroad despite those limitations since mass anti-government protests erupted on October 17.

Lebanese banking association head Salim Sfeir, as well as representatives from 14 banks, appeared before financial prosecutor Ali Ibrahim, the sources said, AFP reported.

They testified "over the transfer abroad of 2.3 billion dollars during the two months since the start of the popular uprising", they said.

They were questioned over "the causes of the transfers abroad of the money of bank owners, which reduced liquidity in the internal financial markets".

They were also asked why other depositors were unable to make transfers abroad for trade or to pay tuition fees.

Bankers were asked to justify "the inability of depositors to withdraw from their US dollar accounts... while that restriction did not apply to the powerful".

Lebanon is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war.

The value of the Lebanese pound has plummeted on the black market, prices have risen, and many businesses have been forced to slash salaries, dismiss staff, or close.

Lebanon is one of the most indebted countries in the world, with a public debt equivalent to 150 percent of its GDP.

The country is now under pressure to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond maturity on March 9.

Economists warn payment on time would eat away at plummeting foreign currency reserves, while bankers say a default would damage Lebanon's reputation with lenders.

Bank of America Merill Lynch in a November report estimated that around 50 percent of Eurobonds were held by local banks, while the central bank had around 11 percent.

Foreign investors owned the remainder or around 39 percent, it said.

But these figures may have changed, with local media reporting that local banks have recently sold a chunk of their Eurobonds to foreign lenders.

The judicial sources said those summoned on Monday were also asked about those sales.

According to AFP, representatives of other banks are to be called in later this week.



Oil up 1% on Potential for US-China Talks, Iraq Output Cut Plan

OPEC logo is seen in this illustration taken, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
OPEC logo is seen in this illustration taken, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
TT
20

Oil up 1% on Potential for US-China Talks, Iraq Output Cut Plan

OPEC logo is seen in this illustration taken, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
OPEC logo is seen in this illustration taken, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Oil prices rose around 1% on Wednesday, as the market drew some strength from the possibility of trade talks between China and the United States and a report that Iraq will cut oil production in April.

Brent crude futures rose 70 cents, or 1.08%, to $65.37 a barrel by 1311 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was also up 70 cents, or 1.14%, at $62.03.

Prices rose after a Bloomberg report quoted an anonymous source as saying that China wants more respect from the Trump administration before it will agree to talks, analysts said.

The source was also quoted as saying China wanted the US to appoint a new primary contact in future talks.

"A de-escalation of the trade war between the US and China would reduce the downside in economic growth prospects and limit the downside for oil demand growth," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Adding to bullish sentiment in the oil market on Wednesday, Iraq aims to cut April output by 70,000 barrels per day in April in the face of pressure to meet its OPEC+ targets, Bloomberg reported.

Price gains, however, were limited by expectations from the International Energy Agency on Tuesday that global oil demand will grow at its slowest for five years in 2025.

The World Trade Organization sharply cut its forecast for global merchandise trade on Wednesday, adding that US tariffs could bring about the heaviest slump since the height of the COVID pandemic.

Concerns over Trump's escalating tariffs, combined with rising output from the OPEC+ group comprising OPEC and allies such as Russia, have dragged oil prices down by about 13% this month.

The uncertainty surrounding trade tensions has led several banks, including UBS, BNP Paribas and HSBC, to cut their crude price forecasts.

Trump has ratcheted up tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to impose retaliatory duties on US imports in an intensifying trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

Data on Wednesday showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.4% year-on-year in the first quarter, beating the 5.1% expected in a Reuters poll.

"The better than expected performance was precipitated by exporters front-loading shipments ahead of the implementation of US excise duties on Chinese goods and, in all probability, will not be repeated for the rest of the year as the two biggest economies in the world are doing their best to decouple," said PVM Oil analyst Tamas Varga.