According to the balance sheet of Banque du Liban (BDL), the central bank’s total assets added 7.26% compared to last year, to reach $167.41B by mid of May 2022. The increase was mainly due to the 32.22% year-on-year (YOY) rise in other assets, grasping 39.87% of BDL’s total assets and reaching $66.74B by mid of May 2022.
Moreover, the gold account, representing 10.04% of BDL’s total assets, slightly decreased by 0.60% yearly to reach $16.81B by mid of May 2022.
Meanwhile, BDL’s foreign assets, grasping 9.59% of total assets, decreased by 25.07% YOY to stand at $16.06B by mid of May 2022 as the Central Bank is most likely taking measures to absorb Lebanese liquidity from the market through Circular 161 (Sayrafa) with the objective to appreciate the local currency.
On the liabilities front, financial sector deposits, 66.40% of BDL’s total liabilities, increased by 3.73% and reached $111.15B by mid of May 2022 compared to last year, of which more than two thirds are denominated in dollars.
Currency in Circulation outside of BDL, consisted of 16.16% of BDL’s total liabilities, increased annually by 3.73% and reached $27.05B by mid of Mat 2022.
BDL Total, Foreign assets and Currency in Circulation by mid of May 2022 ($B)
