DOZENS of clients descended on the Bank of East Asia (BEA) office in Singapore on Thursday after hearing rumours about its exposure to collapsed US investment bank Lehman Brothers.

Some told reporters that they were there to withdraw their money, while others said they were contemplating their next move after getting assurances from bank staff and the city-state's central bank that the rumours were unfounded.

Mr Wahib Bimmadim, an office employee, said he was sent by his company to withdraw 16 million Singapore dollars his firm had deposited with the bank.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.