Banks

Gaza: The Truce Enters Its Second Week After The Release Of Israeli Hostages And Palestinian Detainees

A fragile truce aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip entered its second week on Sunday, the day after the release of four Israeli hostages and some 200 Palestinian prisoners, greeted by scenes of joy on both sides. In a sign of the difficulties in implementing the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, a last-minute dispute on ...

New Exchange Expected On Saturday Between Israeli Hostages In Gaza And Palestinian Detainees

On Saturday, Hamas is due to free four Israeli soldiers, held hostage in Gaza since 7 October 2023, in exchange for several dozen Palestinians detained in Israel, in the second exchange of this type under the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip. Nearly a week after the ceasefire came into force, which was generally respected, the Palestinian ...

Eurozone business activity rebounds in January

Business activity in the eurozone bounced back in January after a two-month contraction, as the pace of decline eased in the manufacturing sector, a closely watched survey showed Friday. The HCOB Flash Eurozone purchasing managers' index (PMI) published by S&P Global registered a figure of 50.2 for the single-currency area, after 49.6 in ...

Heavy Gunfire And Explosions On The Second Day Of The Israeli Operation In The West Bank

The town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank was under heavy fire and explosions on Wednesday, the second day of Israel's ‘Iron Wall’ operation, launched just after the start of the truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. ‘The situation is very difficult. The occupying army has bulldozed all the roads leading to Jenin camp and the ...

UN Chief Praises Trump's 'large Contribution' to Gaza Ceasefire

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday hailed Donald Trump's diplomatic efforts to help secure a truce in the Gaza Strip following 15 months of war. "I will praise the United States, Qatar and Turkey for their efforts for months and months and months to obtain the release of hostages, also to obtain the ceasefire," Guterres said at ...

Is It Possible to Return Syrian Bank Deposits?

During a visit to Syria in early January, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati was met with a striking demand from the country’s new ruler, Ahmad al-Sharaa: the restitution of Syrian deposits held in Lebanese banks. While the request might appear justified on the surface, it lacks clarity and a solid legal foundation, according to a legal ...

Fayad Says Sanctions on Petroleum and Energy Derivatives Will Be Lifted

Caretaker Minister of Energy Walid Fayad said on Monday that “sanctions on the trade of petroleum and energy derivatives will be lifted.” Fayad made this statement following a meeting with the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson. The minister reiterated that “the funds allocated for fuel purchases were limited,” but were secured ...

Bitcoin hits record above $109,000 awaiting Trump

Bitcoin hit a record high above $109,000 on Monday as Donald Trump, who has signalled plans to deregulate the cryptocurrency sector, prepares to be sworn in as US president. Bitcoin surged to an all-time peak of $109,241 ahead of Trump's inauguration ceremony, before falling back to around $107,500. The world's biggest cryptocurrency has soared ...

World Bank Sees Slow and Steady Global Growth

Global growth should remain stable this year and next, but at recent historic lows, the World Bank said Thursday, expressing particular concern about growth in developing countries. Growth should hit 2.7 percent in 2025 and 2026, in line with the level reached last year, the World Bank announced in a new report, adding that inflation and interest ...

Fayad: Additional Hours of Electricity to Be Provided Soon

Caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayad announced that the Zouk and Jiyeh power plants are set to resume operations next week, a move expected to boost Lebanon’s electricity generation capacity to 800 megawatts. In a press statement issued on Thursday, Fayad noted that this increase would provide an additional two hours of electricity per day, ...

Private US, Japanese Lunar Landers Launch on Single Rocket

One rocket, two missions: lunar landers built by US and Japanese companies launched their "rideshare" to the Moon on Wednesday, showcasing the private sector's growing role in space exploration. On board the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida were Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience ...

Exchange Rate Stability: Lebanese Pound Withstands the Surge

For some time now, rumors have suggested a drop in the exchange rate from 89,500 pounds per dollar to 50,000. However, Nassib Ghobril, Chief Economist at Byblos Bank, dismisses such claims as “not serious.” “The Lebanese pound has experienced a frenzied demand since the ceasefire and Thursday’s presidential election. Speculators started ...