Lebanon's caretaker Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni Thursday announced a three-month extension of a deadline to provide all data required for a forensic audit of the Central Bank after it had declined to submit some information, citing banking secrecy.

The caretaker prime minister and sources have said that Banque du Liban withheld information needed by consultancy Alvarez & Marsal to begin the audit, which is a key demand for foreign financial assistance to help Lebanon tackle a financial meltdown.