Lebanese deposits went up by 3.5 pct in 2018 -central bank

Lebanese bank deposits climbed by 3.5 percent in 2018 and the central bank aims to keep the Lebanese pound exchange rate stable in 2019, central bank governor Riad Salameh said on Wednesday.

"The notable thing is the increase in deposits was in the deposits in foreign currencies while the deposits in Lebanese pounds remained at the same level, raising the dollarisation to 70 percent in the Lebanese markets," he said at a conference.

"For 2019, our goals will always be for the stability of the Lebanese pound exchange rate," he said. "Our view of interest rates is stable," he said. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Catherine Evans)