• Lobby

  • Lebanese Banks Capital Control

NuclearVision wroteBanks are closed until the next month.
Not all. Check their facebook pages
Audi, BLOM, CL, BoB among others are opening a few branches but mainly to serve companies and corporate clients. Fransabank is closed etc..
samer wroteAny updates on the latest limits? I'm hearing banks are constantly changing them.
Would be great if you would be more specific about the bank and account currency, since some are changing the limits on a weekly basis.
Lots of spreading rumors of the haircut being near. Seeing what is happening with the world right now, I highly doubt anyone can aid us; any idea whether the circulating rumor may be accurate?

Note: Although I know some people donating to the Red Cross may be out of generosity and have genuine thoughts, others specified in the donations list tried to trim down their bank account dollars so they reach a lower haircut in case it happens. It's for a good cause I guess?
Johnaudi wroteLots of spreading rumors of the haircut being near.
what does happen in a haircut?
Haircut was already taking place since October, with the dual exchange rates and capital controls.

Our economy is around 70% in dollars and this is tragic given that it isn't productive. There are a ton of reason this being the case and of course corruption is one of them.

What is being rumored now is basically Haircut/freeze on dollar account holders and you will be provided with shares held for 6 years (maturity). Not sure about the reset of the details yet but seems the image is becoming clearer (more kicking the can).
kareem_nasser wroteHaircut was already taking place since October, with the dual exchange rates and capital controls.

Our economy is around 70% in dollars and this is tragic given that it isn't productive. There are a ton of reason this being the case and of course corruption is one of them.

What is being rumored now is basically Haircut/freeze on dollar account holders and you will be provided with shares held for 6 years (maturity). Not sure about the reset of the details yet but seems the image is becoming clearer (more kicking the can).

Yep , the Minister of Finance will propose two additioanl things which will be most probably be implemented and the cabinet will approve for execution.

1- To legalize and standarize all capital control being taken since September 2019 and increased.

2- To give the BDL Governer special authorities over the banks he doesnot used to have.

3- To freeze all dollars deposits and giving the depositors an LBP rate of 2000 instead of 1515 , in case they want to withdraw. To clear yet if LBP account depositors can withdraw USD from inside the bank at a rate of 2000 LBP too.

To sum it up , it is "theft in a legalized way". The whole system is collapsed. Commercial banks used to give high interests on USD and LBP as a motivator for people to put their money. Many people through the years deposited a lot of money. Fiscal deficit always exists, due to corruption and a system controlled by warlords mainly. The government has been always requesting money as debt from commercial banks. The commercial banks bough EuroBonds for the sake of the government .. Now BDL liquidity is low no money to payback for EuroBonds .. Commercial banks are in trouble.. A loop with one corrupted system that collapsed on each other.1
5 days later
Since Capital Controls will be official soon and they are being discussed in cabinet meetings, we need to keep an eye and share the final decision once approved here.

Let us avoid rumors circulating.
I dont think it will be official, the speaker of the cabinet said, when asked, they're leaning towards dismissing it.
9 days later
Two circulations were issued today by BDL:

In Short

Circulation 1 :

If a depositor has<= 5 million LBP the bank will buy it @ 1500 rate- official rate ( assume 5 million LBP / 1500 = 3333USD & sell back to you depending on the market rate on the day of withdraw

If a depositor has <= 3k USD they will give LBP depending on the market rate on the day if withdraw.

Circulation 2:

Establishing a unified electronic hub (between exchangers , Banks , snd BDL) for day to day market exchange rare of all foreign currencies including USD.






Are we shifting towards removing the peg on the LL completely? Because those like the first step towards that.
Any input on the above is appreciated because I do not think I fully understand the consequences of these steps.
It looks like they are trying to ease the demand for actual dollar notes by giving LL's at the market rate. In theory, it should, at least initially, ease the demand for notes, but yeah, it looks like the peg is gone for now. They may try to control where the dollar is by including the exchanges too---the government could conceivably demand the exchanges adjust their rates too, but we will have to see how the system is set up and controlled.
It seems like the first step to remove the peg, but major elements such as the gasoline price / medical imports etc, that the BDL sponsor access to dollars are still at 1500.
Draguen wroteIt seems like the first step to remove the peg, but major elements such as the gasoline price / medical imports etc, that the BDL sponsor access to dollars are still at 1500.
Not necessarily remove (although it should be done that way), but regulate the US dollar price.
By giving people access to a certain amount of USD, most of them of this class will need to sell the USD at black market price to get LBP (hence to be able to purchase food etc.) making the black market price even lower and profiting the poorer class.
I think it's a good step IMO.
They are trying to set aside a big portion of depositors (60%) that are very sensitive to the capital control. The real battle is yet to come, I think this is an indication that there is something bad coming.

(No USD withdrawal in the future).

Besides, how many exchange rates will we have?!!!
I don't understand the 5million LBP part. If my money is 5million LBP why do they want to give me profit out of it? Am I missing something?
Adnan wroteI don't understand the 5million LBP part. If my money is 5million LBP why do they want to give me profit out of it? Am I missing something?
1)To be able to pay salaries in bank accounts
2)60% of depositors, majority
2.1)Who crowd banks daily to get their tiny cut of cash
2.2)Who is most capable to go to streets
nuclearcat wrote
Adnan wroteI don't understand the 5million LBP part. If my money is 5million LBP why do they want to give me profit out of it? Am I missing something?
1)To be able to pay salaries in bank accounts
2)60% of depositors, majority
2.1)Who crowd banks daily to get their tiny cut of cash
2.2)Who is most capable to go to streets
They get rid of you by closing your bank account for good, thats the condition, or so I've heard.
edit: if you mean why not only usd holders: to not to have bad reputation, to make people believe that their lbp will always be safe, to be honest, it's not gonna cost them a lot anyway.
Imagine they didn't do this, 1 year from now, I win 10millions, i want to put them in the bank, i remember that oh! one year ago they screwed lbp holders and i won't put it in the bank: it's history that matters
VincentKeyboard wroteHow will this affect prices of goods?
IMO badly.
Lot of LBP flow to market, no USD flows from banks (people was getting their $100-$200 and selling to sarraf, this was making supply of USD cash). This means significant LBP devaluation.