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

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

There might be capital flight restrictions or dual interest rates.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 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

One result has been ever-increasing capital flight, despite heavy-handed capital controls.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2023

In   1995, the Mexican peso crisis produced capital flight, the loss of   banking system deposits, and a severe, but short-lived, recession; a   series of reforms to bolster the domestic banking system followed.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency