Economy

The Association of Banks in Lebanon Warn of “Systemic Crisis”
The Association of Banks in Lebanon Warn of “Systemic Crisis”

The economic collapse is systemic and cannot be resolved without the state assuming its share of responsibility, the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) warned in its latest monthly report for October 2025. The statement directly challenges the government’s draft “financial gap” law, which omits any reference to a systemic crisis, a move ...

The AI Revolution Has a Power Problem
The AI Revolution Has a Power Problem

In the race for AI dominance, American tech giants have the money and the chips, but their ambitions have hit a new obstacle: electric power. "The biggest issue we are now having is not a compute glut, but it's the power and...the ability to get the builds done fast enough close to power," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella acknowledged on a recent ...

Pension Reform Stalled: 13 Decrees Blocking Lebanon’s Social Protection Law
Figure of the weekPension Reform Stalled: 13 Decrees Blocking Lebanon’s Social Protection Law

Thirteen. That is the number of implementing decrees still pending to activate the pension and social protection law passed in 2023. Without them, the long-awaited reform remains on hold. The new system was meant to gradually replace the decades-old end-of-service indemnity scheme. So far, only one decree has been partially addressed, the one ...

Raed Khoury: Eliminating Banks and Deposits Would Be a “Catastrophe”
FocusRaed Khoury: Eliminating Banks and Deposits Would Be a “Catastrophe”

As the financial collapse continues and losses keep mounting with no clear plan yet for their distribution, attention is once again turning to the stalled negotiations between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), amid conflicting official approaches on how to address the crisis and restructure the banking sector. The ...

Public Finances Recovering, but Stability Remains Fragile
Public Finances Recovering, but Stability Remains Fragile

The rebound in Lebanese state deposits at the central bank (BDL), estimated at nearly $800 million, marks a rare financial upswing amid the prolonged crisis that began in 2019. It is a welcome breath of fresh air, but still far from a genuine structural recovery of public finances. Above all, this renewed momentum reflects the early stages of a ...

Bsat: IMF Seeks to Impose Losses on Banks... Say Goodbye to Deposits!
Bsat: IMF Seeks to Impose Losses on Banks... Say Goodbye to Deposits!

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bsat made several key statements during his appearance on the television program “Sar El Waet.” He addressed multiple sensitive issues, including the financial-gap law, bank restructuring, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Bsat emphasized that it is not possible to commit to ...

When Samir Hammoud Sacrifices Depositors to Please the IMF
SpotlightWhen Samir Hammoud Sacrifices Depositors to Please the IMF

Negotiation skills refer to the capacities and methods used by an individual when engaging in discussions with another party in order to reach an agreement that satisfies both sides, without sacrificing the rights or interests of either. Key negotiation skills include planning, managing expectations, persuasion, problem-solving, decision-making, ...

Tesla Shareholders Approve Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Package
Tesla Shareholders Approve Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Package

Tesla shareholders on Thursday overwhelmingly endorsed a massive pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could reach $1 trillion. The pay package -- crafted to ensure Musk's continued service to Tesla as the company pursues breakthrough technology on artificial intelligence and robotics -- won more than 75 percent support from shareholders, a Tesla ...

Writing Off Banks’ Capital Wipes Out Deposits
SpotlightWriting Off Banks’ Capital Wipes Out Deposits

The Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Karim Souhaid, clarified the situation by declaring that Lebanon’s crisis is not purely a financial one but rather a systemic crisis in which the banking sector has become a victim. This is what Souhaid stated clearly during the parliamentary session dedicated to discussing the 2025 budget draft, ...

Gold: Sell or Buy More?
Gold: Sell or Buy More?

For years, gold was seen as a safe haven, more a way to store wealth than a true investment. Holding physical gold has traditionally been considered a long-term hedge against inflation. But the surge in the price of the yellow metal in 2025 has shaken that belief. With a rise of more than sixty percent since the start of the year, gold can no ...

Where Were You, Samir Hammoud?
Where Were You, Samir Hammoud?

High-level banking sources were surprised by comments made by the senior adviser to the Minister of Finance, Yassine Jaber, to the “Al-Markaziya” outlet regarding depositors’ accounts. According to Samir Hammoud’s statement, “If there are irregularities in depositors’ accounts, there are also irregularities in banks’ ...

Trump Backs Cuomo in NYC: Experience Over Ideology
SpotlightTrump Backs Cuomo in NYC: Experience Over Ideology

Trump stirred the race by openly urging Jewish voters to reject Mamdani. “Any Jewish person who votes for Zohran Mamdani (…) is a stupid person!!!” he wrote Tuesday on Truth Social, accusing the frontrunner of “hating Jews.” Mamdani, 34, of Indian descent and a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, has raised concerns among parts of ...