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

“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

All that would do is finance the sort of capital flight that has occurred time and time again when the Argentine peso has become overvalued and when inflation hasn’t been brought fully under control.

From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025

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

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2023

Nevertheless, a weak nonoil sector and capital flight - and a temporary fall in oil prices - undercut the recovery.

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