Skip to content
Sunday, October 18, 2026English edition
EN FR
The Geopolitician

Country risk, from the local press

Lebanon · Country watch

Lebanon Bank Payouts, Branch Closures, Fuel Project Risk

Lebanon's banking sector faces uncertainty with potential payout increases and branch closures, while Iraq's fuel project risks impact regional supply.

· · 3 sources

The picture Deteriorating

Lebanon's business conditions are deteriorating with uncertainty in banking payouts and branch closures, alongside potential fuel supply disruptions from Iraq.

In this briefing Banque du Liban · Al-Barham Group

Regulation

  • Finance

Central Bank mulls higher payouts under Circulars 158, 166

central bank of lebanon.
central bank of lebanon. Karan Jain from Washington, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lebanon's Central Bank is considering increasing monthly payouts to beneficiaries of Circulars 158 and 166, according to Leb Economy and An-Nahar. The move, if confirmed, would raise the financial support provided to depositors affected by Lebanon's ongoing financial crisis. However, no official announcement has been made by the Central Bank, leaving the potential increase in payouts uncertain at this time. The decision is awaited amid economic discussions and speculation.

Impact Depositors relying on Circulars 158 and 166 face uncertainty over potential increased payouts, affecting their financial planning.

Watch The Central Bank has not set a date for an official announcement.

Sources: Leb Economy ↗, An-Nahar النهار ↗

Disruption

  • Energy

Kirkuk fuel project faces shutdown, impacts northern Iraq

The Kirkuk naphtha hydrogenation and gasoline improvement project in Iraq is at risk of halting production by the end of October or early November, reports Leb Economy. The potential shutdown could affect fuel supplies across six northern Iraqi provinces. The project, operated by Al-Barham Group (ABG), is crucial for meeting local gasoline demand and reducing import reliance. The disruption may have broader implications for regional fuel supply, including Lebanon, which relies on imports.

Impact Fuel importers in Lebanon might face supply challenges due to potential disruptions in Iraq's Kirkuk project.

Sources: Leb Economy ↗

Internal tension

Nothing significant reported today.

Safety & health

Nothing significant reported today.

Companies

  • Finance

Lebanon's bank branches shrink from 2019 peak

Lebanon's banking sector has seen a significant reduction in its branch network, according to Leb Economy. From a peak of 1,058 branches in 2019, the number has fallen to 619 by the end of 2025. This contraction reflects the ongoing financial and monetary crisis that has gripped Lebanon since 2019, leading to a loss of confidence in the banking sector and a decrease in geographic presence. The closure of hundreds of branches highlights the challenges facing the sector.

Impact Banking clients face reduced access to services due to the closure of 439 branches since 2019.

Sources: Leb Economy ↗

Markets

Nothing significant reported today.

Trade

Nothing significant reported today.

Politics

Nothing significant reported today.

Also today in Lebanon

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

All Lebanon briefings →

The same day elsewhere