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capital flight

Cultural  
  1. The rapid movement of investments out of a market or country that is seen by investors as unstable.


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In 1998, Indonesia experienced a capital flight, which brought on political as well as economic instability.

Example Sentences

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After years of U.S. sanctions, the Venezuelan energy sector suffered a heavy blow amid a lack of access to technology and chronic capital flight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

But that doesn’t mean a more wholesale wave of capital flight from the world’s biggest economy won’t happen.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026

“If domestic confidence in the government’s and Bank of Japan’s commitment to low inflation is lost, the reasons to buy JGBs disappear, and more disruptive capital flight ensues,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 21, 2025

China's diplomatic shift comes as different pressures build on Xi, including the economic downturn, which has been exacerbated by capital flight, a property crisis and high youth unemployment.

From Reuters ● Oct. 17, 2023

Other problems include widespread corruption, lack of a strong legal system, capital flight, and brain drain.

From The 2002 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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