According to the balance sheet of Banque du Liban (BDL), the central bank’s total assets added 2.31% compared to last year, to reach $159.1B by mid-September 2021.The increase was mainly due to the 33.84% year-on-year (YOY) rise in other assets, grasping 36.21% of BDL’s total assets and reaching $57.59B by mid-September 2021. However, the gold account, composing 10.44% of BDL’s total assets, decreased by 8.36% yearly to reach $16.61B by the same period.
BDL’s foreign assets (grasping 11.27% of total assets) decreased by 36.35% YOY to stand at $17.93B by mid of September 2021. As for BDL, this significant drop in this account is due to foreign securities, offset by a decrease in foreign currency and this particular transaction does not affect external foreign currency liquidity. Noting also the $ 5B of foreign assets are in Lebanese Eurobonds, that currently worth 17% of the value.
On the liabilities front, financial sector deposits (66.79% of BDL’s total liabilities) recorded a downtick of 2.15% YOY to settle at $106.24B by mid of September 2021, of which more than two thirds are denominated in dollars.
Looking at Currency in Circulation outside of BDL (17.16% of BDL’s total liabilities) it increased by 77.32% jumping from $15.38B by mid of September 2020 to $27.29B mid of September 2021.
BDL Total, Foreign assets and Currency in Circulation mid-September ($B)
