Lebanon's Central Bank Seeks to Provide Dollars for Imports at Rate of 3,200 Pounds

FILE PHOTO: A woman walks outside of Lebanon's Central Bank building in Beirut, Lebanon March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A woman walks outside of Lebanon's Central Bank building in Beirut, Lebanon March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
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Lebanon's Central Bank Seeks to Provide Dollars for Imports at Rate of 3,200 Pounds

FILE PHOTO: A woman walks outside of Lebanon's Central Bank building in Beirut, Lebanon March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A woman walks outside of Lebanon's Central Bank building in Beirut, Lebanon March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

The Lebanese central bank revealed on Friday that it's working to provide dollars for imports at an exchange rate of 3,200 Lebanese pounds to reduce food prices.

This comes as part of efforts to rein in spiralling inflation as the local currency collapses.

The central bank is already providing dollars for imports of wheat, fuel and medicine at a rate of 1,507.5 pounds - an official peg that has remained in place even as the pound has slumped on the parallel market.

"Banque du Liban will continue to inject dollar banknotes that it acquires via the banks with the aim of financing imports at the price of 3,200 Lebanese pounds per US dollar with the aim of reducing the price of food products," the central bank said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Dollars are currently changing hands on a parallel market at ore than 4,000 pounds.

The Lebanese pound has lost more than 60% of its value since October, when the country's long-brewingeconomic troubles grew into a major financial and banking crisis.

A government plan for getting Lebanon out of the crisis is based on a shift to a flexible exchange rate, although only in the "coming period" - and the currency peg will be maintained for now, Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni said last week.



Iraq Raises September Basrah Medium Crude OSP to Asia

Workers walk across pipelines at the Rumaila oil field in Basra, Iraq (Reuters)
Workers walk across pipelines at the Rumaila oil field in Basra, Iraq (Reuters)
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Iraq Raises September Basrah Medium Crude OSP to Asia

Workers walk across pipelines at the Rumaila oil field in Basra, Iraq (Reuters)
Workers walk across pipelines at the Rumaila oil field in Basra, Iraq (Reuters)

Iraq has raised the September official selling price (OSP) for Basra Medium crude oil to Asia to minus $4 a barrel against the average of Oman/Dubai quotes from the August OSP of minus $6.50 a barrel, state-owned Iraqi oil marketer SOMO said on Monday, Reuters reported.

Basrah Heavy to Asia was priced at minus $7.30 a barrel to Oman/Dubai quotes, from minus $8.80 a barrel set for August.

Type of North and South European Far East Crude American Market Market Market ($/bbl) Oil ($/bbl) ($/bbl) Basrah ASCI +5.10 Brent Average (Oman Medium (dated)-4.35 & Dubai)-4.00 Basrah ASCI +1.40 Brent Average


Turkish Central Bank Bought $5 billion in Foreign Exchange Last Week, Bankers Say

Central Bank of Türkiye - File Photo/Reuters
Central Bank of Türkiye - File Photo/Reuters
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Turkish Central Bank Bought $5 billion in Foreign Exchange Last Week, Bankers Say

Central Bank of Türkiye - File Photo/Reuters
Central Bank of Türkiye - File Photo/Reuters

The Turkish central bank bought $5 billion in foreign exchange last week, with its net reserves increasing $9 billion to $63 billion, bankers said on Monday, Reuters reported.

According to the calculations of four bankers, the central bank's total reserves increased $14 billion last week to $178 billion, while net reserves excluding swaps increased $9.5 billion to $50 billion. The central bank did not comment on the figures.

 

 

 


July US Container Imports Hit Fourth-highest on Record, Descartes Says

FILE PHOTO: Workers move shipping containers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in, Newark, New Jersey, US, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Workers move shipping containers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in, Newark, New Jersey, US, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo
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July US Container Imports Hit Fourth-highest on Record, Descartes Says

FILE PHOTO: Workers move shipping containers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in, Newark, New Jersey, US, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Workers move shipping containers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in, Newark, New Jersey, US, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo

US imports of containerized goods in July hit the fourth-highest level for the month, as shippers rushed in goods ahead of unknown US tariff changes, supply chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group said on Monday.

US seaports handled 2.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, down 4.3% from the near-record result in July 2025. Through the first seven months of 2026, imports were down 0.9% year over year while remaining ⁠well above pre-COVID pandemic ⁠levels, Descartes said.

In late July, 10% global Section 122 tariffs expired and were replaced by new tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries tied to allegations of forced labor.

Chinese-origin imports rose to 873,129 TEUs ⁠in July, the highest monthly volume in a year.

China sends more goods via container to the US than any other country, even after President Donald Trump has targeted such products with tariffs.

Retailers like Walmart, Amazon.com and Home Depot account for roughly half of all US container imports, Reuters reported.

The traditional peak shipping season tied to their imports of goods for autumn and winter holiday promotions ⁠has ⁠been arriving earlier and over a longer period of time as shippers have responded to a string of supply-chain upheavals ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing US and Israeli war on Iran to rapidly changing US tariff policies.

"The broader trade environment remains unsettled. Elevated Strait of Hormuz risk, changing US tariff measures, tighter Panama Canal draft restrictions, and continued Red Sea disruption are influencing freight costs, routing decisions, and sourcing strategies," Descartes said.