Financial Sector Assessment : Lebanon

Financial Sector Assessment : Lebanon

Lebanon's very large banking system has inhibited the emergence of capital markets. The country's licensing regime grants banks ipso facto authorization to engage in the full range of capital market activities. The authorities have embark...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	World Bank
Format:	Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP)
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:	ACCESS TO INSURANCE ACCOUNTING ASSET BASE ASSET RATIO AUDITS BALANCE OF PAYMENTS BANK ASSETS BANK CREDIT BANK CREDITS BANK DEPOSITS BANK SECRECY BANKING SECTOR BANKING SYSTEM BARRIER TO ENTRY BARRIERS TO ENTRY BID BOND BOND ISSUANCES BONDS BROKERAGE BUDGET DEFICIT CAPACITY BUILDING CAPITAL ACCOUNT CAPITAL FORMATION CAPITAL INFLOWS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CAPITAL MARKET CAPITAL MARKET ACTIVITIES CAPITAL MARKET ACTIVITY CAPITAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT CAPITAL MARKET LAW CAPITAL MARKETS CD CENTRAL BANK CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT CIVIL WAR CODE OF CONDUCT COLLATERAL COLLATERALIZATION COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT COMMERCIAL BANKS CONSUMER PROTECTION CONTINGENCY PLAN CORPORATE BONDS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CREDIBILITY CRITERIA FOR INVESTMENTS DEBT DEBT INSTRUMENTS DEBT ISSUANCES DEBT RELIEF DEBT SERVICE DEBT STOCK DEPOSIT RATES DEPOSITORY DEPOSITORY SECURITIES DEPOSITS DIRECT INVESTMENT DISBURSEMENTS DOMESTIC CAPITAL DOMESTIC CAPITAL MARKET DOMESTIC MARKETS ELIGIBLE COLLATERAL EQUITIES EQUITY FUNDS EQUITY MARKET EXCHANGE RATE EXCHANGE RATE REGIME EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURES EXTERNAL DEBT FINANCIAL INNOVATION FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES FINANCIAL MARKET FINANCIAL MARKET PARTICIPANTS FINANCIAL MARKETS FINANCIAL PRODUCT FINANCIAL SECTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FINANCIAL SYSTEM FISCAL DEFICIT FLOW OF INVESTMENT FLOW OF INVESTMENTS FOREIGN CURRENCY FOREIGN EQUITY FOREIGN EXCHANGE FOREIGN FUNDS FOREIGN INSURERS FRAUD FUND MANAGERS GOVERNANCE ISSUES GOVERNMENT BORROWING GOVERNMENT DEBT GOVERNMENT FINANCE GOVERNMENT INDEBTEDNESS GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT GOVERNMENT SECURITIES GOVERNMENT SPENDING GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT GROWTH RATE HOLDING HOLDINGS INFLATION INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT INSIDER DEALING INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS INSURANCE INSURANCE COMPANIES INSURANCE INDUSTRY INSURANCE PREMIUMS INTEREST PAYMENT INTEREST PAYMENTS INTEREST RATES INTERNAL CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL INTEREST INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS INVESTING INVESTMENT ACTIVITY INVESTMENT BANKS INVESTMENT FUNDS INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS INVESTMENT RISKS INVESTMENT VEHICLE INVESTOR BASE INVESTOR CONFIDENCE INVESTOR EDUCATION INVESTOR PARTICIPATION INVESTOR PROTECTION ISSUANCE LEGAL AUTHORITY LEGAL FRAMEWORK LEGAL PROTECTION LEVEL PLAYING FIELD LIABILITY LIFE INSURANCE LIFE INSURANCE PRODUCTS LIQUIDITY LOCAL CAPITAL MARKETS MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT MARGIN REQUIREMENTS MARKET CONFIDENCE MARKET GOVERNANCE MARKET INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET MANIPULATION MARKET REGULATOR MARKET SUPERVISIONS MARKET TURNOVER MINIMUM CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS MONEY SUPPLY MUTUAL FUND MUTUAL FUND ASSETS MUTUAL FUNDS NATIONAL SAVINGS OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT DEBT PENSION PENSION FUND PENSION FUNDS PENSION LAW PENSION LAWS PENSION REFORM PENSIONS POLITICAL ECONOMY PORTFOLIO PREPAYMENTS PRIVATE EQUITY PRIVATE INVESTMENTS PRIVATE PLACEMENT PRIVATE SECTOR CREDIT PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PRIVATIZATION PRODUCTIVE INVESTMENTS PRUDENTIAL REGULATION PUBLIC DEBT PUBLIC OFFERING PUBLIC OFFERINGS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP REAL ESTATE REGULATORS REGULATORY AUTHORITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY REGULATORY BODIES REGULATORY OVERSIGHT REGULATORY STANDARDS REMITTANCES REPAYMENTS RESERVES RETURN RISK CAPITAL RISK EXPOSURE RISK MANAGEMENT RISK WEIGHTS RULE OF LAW SECONDARY MARKET SECONDARY MARKET LIQUIDITY SECURITIES SECURITIES REGULATOR SETTLEMENT SOLVENCY SOVEREIGN RISK STOCK EXCHANGE STOCK MARKET STOCK MARKET CAPITALIZATION STOCKS TAX TAX RATE TAX STRUCTURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOTAL DEBT TRADE BALANCE TRADING TRADING ACTIVITY TRANSPARENCY TURNOVER RATIO UNDERDEVELOPED MARKETS VALUATIONS WITHDRAWAL
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/10/18862282/lebanon-financial-sector-assessment http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17353

Description
Summary:	Lebanon's very large banking system has inhibited the emergence of capital markets. The country's licensing regime grants banks ipso facto authorization to engage in the full range of capital market activities. The authorities have embarked on developing new capital market channels for intermediating saving and investment to complement and compete with banking. The aim is to enrich financing choices, particularly long-term risk capital, to support private sector initiative and jobs that come with sustainably higher growth. The ultimate outcome will be better allocation and monitoring of capital. An element of this strategy is to establish a credible regulator of such financial intermediation. Law 161, enacted in 2011, created the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) which is soon to launch operations. A respected regulator is only one element of a master plan to nurture capital market functionalities that meet the needs of private companies and the country's infrastructure program. Market development will be a long-range balancing act between financial innovation and prudent oversight in the peculiar context of Lebanon. The insurance sector is material compared to other markets in the region but small by international standards. Insurers generally have sufficient expertise to operate current business models but weaknesses should be addressed in risk identification and management. Despite severe legal limitations, the Insurance Control Commission (ICC) has grown in stature and respect, and has taken full advantage of areas where improvements can be made through regulation. The sector's further development hinges on passing the new draft law pending in Parliament.