Special Report

Lebanon: Banking & Finance

Political tensions raise the stakes for Lebanon’s banking sector, which is fundamental to the country’s economic stability

Riad Salamé: ‘We’re not a normal country’

Riad Salamé explains how the country’s economy can survive the latest political crisis

Lenders serve public and private masters

Banking system relies on remittances sent back by the diaspora

Past crises show durable banks have earned trust

Lenders’ continuing ability to attract deposits has been the cornerstone of financial and social stability in the country

Beirut tech sector’s resilience faces another test

Policymakers hope the industry can help reverse the country’s brain drain

Lebanon’s bankers see reconstruction role in Syria

But the legacy of Lebanon’s own civil war may thwart participation

In Beirut, property investors hold their nerve

Buyers had already expected prices to drop, before the latest political instability

Borrowing habits reveal a cultural shift among Lebanese

People are becoming more confident taking out personal loans