Category: Forex
An investor to park USD1 bln in dollar deposits, says Finance Minister
Jan 12, 2016 (LBO) – An investor has promised to park 1 billion dollars in dollar deposits in Sri Lanka to help the island nation defend its currency, according to a media report quoting the finance minister. The investor was Belgian and was working with a Sri Lankan partner, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake told Reuters. […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves at USD7.3 bln end Dec
Jan 11, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s official foreign reserves was slightly higher at 7.29 billion dollars at the end of December, up from 7.28 billion dollars at the end of November, figures released by the Central Bank shows. This figure is down from 8.21 billion dollars in foreign reserves at the end of 2014. […]
Global equities off to poor start, Brent crude at 11-year low
Jan 07, 2016 (LBO) – Global equity markets are off to their worst start since 2000, with a weaker Chinease yuan sparking concerns about the global economy, as Brent crude fell to a 11-year low of 34.23 dollars a barrel. The MSCI All-Country World Index ended the first three days of 2016 down by 3.3 […]
‘s CB to remove restrictions on withdrawals from NRFC/RFC accounts
Jan 04, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank is to remove restrictions on foreign currency withdrawals from foreign currency bank accounts by the end of the week, Governor Arjuna Mahendran said. “By the end of the week we hope to remove restrictions on money withdrawals from foreign currency bank accounts such as Non- Resident Foreign […]
Dollar gains limited in 2016, fund managers look elsewhere
Dec 29, 2015 (LBO) – US Dollar gains are expected to be limited next year compared with the strengthening seen over the last two years after a well-expected tightening of interest rates by the US Fed this month. The dollar rallied 10 percent to 1.09 per euro this year from 1.2 per euro at the […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves rise to USD7.3 bln in Nov
Dec 29, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s official foreign reserves increased to 7,295 million dollars at the end of November this year, up from 6,480 million dollars at the end of October after a sovereign bond issue, according to figures released by the Central Bank. This included 6,463 million dollars in foreign reserves and 756 […]
We are not dictated by IMF policy: Finance Minister
Dec 17, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister told Parliament Wednesday that the country has a strong balance of payments environment and rejected reports of a gloomy outlook for 2016. “There is no issue with the balance of payments. Our problem is with the trade balance. Our exports have decreased and imports increased,” Finance […]
Fed liftoff largely priced in by emerging markets: ABN AMRO
Dec 15, 2015 (LBO) – A first rate hike by the U.S. Fed in nearly a decade expected this week is largely priced-in and emerging markets may have already seen most of the adjustment to Fed hikes, ABN AMRO said in a research report. "Fed message is likely to be relatively soothing, as we expect […]
Debt Report: Thin activity in Sri Lanka markets, liquidity surplus dips
Nov 07, 2015 (LBO) – There was thin activity in Sri Lanka’s bond market with foreign remittances balancing importer dollar demand in the currency market. Market eyes are on Fed policy meeting Dec 15-16, with Federal funds futures showing a 79-percent chance the Fed will end seven years of near-zero interest rates and about 50 […]
Single party owns 95 pct of govt securities available to foreign investors
Dec 01, 2015 (LBO) – A single foreign party owns 95 percent of Sri Lanka’s government securities available to foreign investors, raising questions about risk-management practices of the Central Bank.Funds of Franklin Templeton held around 290 billion rupees in government securities, out of 304 billion rupees of securities available to foreign investors, according to published […]
Interest rates unchanged after monetary policy meeting
Nov 24, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Monetary Board held interest rates unchanged after a monthly policy meeting citing low inflation and a lack of necessity to change rates given loose monetary policy in the region. The Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) was held at 6.00 percent, the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) at 7.50 […]
Poll: Sri Lanka market evenly divided on possible US rate change
Nov 19, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka market participants are evenly divided on whether the U.S. will hike interest rates or not this year, with half the participants polled by Lanka Business Online saying they expect no change. Out of 14 market participants polled by Lanka Business Online, seven said they expect around a 25 […]