Category: Forex
Central Bank permits remittances to Sri Lankans abroad on visits & studies
Apr 20, 2020 (LBO) – Central Bank reiterates that there is no hindrance to providing financial assistance to Sri Lankans who have gone abroad to pursue studies or short visits. Making a clarification on the matter, the bank, however, requested all concerned parties to make use of the opportunity in a responsible manner. Family members […]
Opinion: COVID-19 and foreign exchange woes: Can Sri Lanka find a way out?
Bilesha Weeraratne Growing pressure on Sri Lanka’s scarce foreign exchange resources, due to the wide spread of COVID-19 across the globe, is now more real than ever before. To ease this pressure, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has taken many measures to attract as well as retain more foreign exchange in Sri Lanka. […]
‘s request for Rapid Credit Facility this week
Apr 17, 2020 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is starting to review Sri Lanka’s request for Rapid Credit Facility this week, the international organization said. During a press briefing held yesterday, IMF’s Director of Asia and Pacific Department, Changyong Rhee confirmed that they received a letter from Sri Lanka’s government about the Rapid […]
Sri Lanka introduces special deposit account to manage COVID-19 challenges
Apr 12, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Government in consultation with the Monetary Board of the Central Bank has introduced a Special Deposit Account (SDA) with the view to seek assistance for the national effort to overcome the effects of COVID-19 outbreak in the country. All Sri Lankans and well-wishers living in Sri Lanka and […]
Sri Lanka official reserves down to USD7.5bn by end-March
Apr 09, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves were 7.5 billion US dollars (USD7,525.7mn) by the end of March, down from 7.9 billion US dollars in February, the latest Central Bank data showed. By the end of March, the foreign currency reserves were 7,119.1 million dollars while the reserve position in the IMF […]
PwC expects real GDP growth in Sri Lanka to be less than 2-pct this year
Apr 09, 2020 (LBO) – PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) expects real GDP growth in the Island to be less than 2 percent this year even if the pandemic is contained by mid-2020. Prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, the Central Bank expected the economy to grow at 4.5-5 percent with a modest recovery from the Easter Sunday attacks […]
Central Bank further reduces policy interest rates by 25 basis points
Apr 03, 2020 (LBO) – The Monetary Board of the Central Bank today decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) by 25 basis points to 6.00 percent and 7.00 percent, respectively, effective from the close of business on 03 April 2020. The Central Bank said this […]
Sri Lanka suspends all restrictions on foreign currency inflows
Apr 02, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has decided to suspend all restrictions on foreign currency inflows into the Island during the COVID-19 preventive period, defined as the three months commencing 2 April 2020. Releasing a statement, the Central Bank Governor Professor W D Lakshman invites all in Sri Lanka and abroad […]
We are in global recession territory: Fitch Ratings
Mar 21, 2020 (LBO) – The coronavirus crisis is crushing global GDP growth according to Fitch Ratings in its latest quarterly “Global Economic Outlook”. “The level of world GDP is falling. For all intents and purposes we are in global recession territory,” said Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings. Fitch Ratings statement We have […]
Central Bank introduces urgent measures to ease pressure on exchange rate
Mar 19, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has introduced several measures to ease the pressure on the exchange rate and prevent financial market panic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, licensed commercial banks and National Savings Bank are directed to adopt the following measures during the next three months, with immediate effect: Suspend […]
China grants USD500mn concessionary loan to Sri Lanka
Mar 19, 2020 (LBO) – China Development Bank and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance has signed a 500 million US dollar loan agreement amidst the COVID–19 pandemic. Treasury Secretary SR Attygalle and Wang Wei, Deputy Director, China Development Bank yesterday signed the agreement in the presence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Acting Ambassador of China […]
Sri Lanka Central Bank eases monetary policy further to support economic activity
Mar 16, 2020 (LBO) – The Monetary Board of Sri Lanka’s Central Bank at an urgent meeting held today has decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) by 25 basis points to 6.25 percent and 7.25 percent, respectively, with effect from tomorrow. The board has also […]