SEC launches “Isura” TV series to raise investor awareness

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) in association with Sirasa TV has begun a television series on the capital market titled “Isura.” The global financial landscape is continuously evolving and investment products are becoming increasingly complex. A greater understanding of key financial concepts is required on the part of retail investors to understand and assess the long term investment choices available to them. Therefore, in response to these challenges the global standard setter for securities regulation, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) established a Committee to formulate policies for retail investor literacy. SEC Sri Lanka is a member of the aforementioned committee (C8) and undertakes extensive investor education programmes such as TV & Radio programmes on the Capital market, regular articles in newspapers and seminars & workshops for different stakeholders. Electronic and print media have played a pivotal role in enhancing awareness about investing in the capital market and therefore on a regular basis the SEC has telecast several television series aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the market and protecting the interests of investors by empowering them to make informed investment decisions. This new TV series will feature an eminent panel well versed in the securities market, who will discuss various timely issues as well as a range of topics relating to investing in the capital market. The discussions will be conducted in an easy to understand manner, providing important information about benefits and risks of investing in equity, debt and unit trusts as well as the current state of the stock market. The series will also comprise of a live studio audience who will have the opportunity to pose questions to the panel. Despite Sri Lanka having an average literacy rate of 93.3% only 35% of Sri Lanka’s adult population are financially literate according to the Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey. Hence, the SEC anticipates that "Isura" will be able to impart proper capital market knowledge and awareness across all sections of society and will assist existing investors, potential investors, undergraduates as well as school children to obtain a sound knowledge on investing in the capital market. The programme will have a dedicated hotline to enable viewers to ask questions. In addition each programme will feature a quiz and give viewers the opportunity to win Rs. 50,000 by accurately answering a simple question which will be posed during the programme. The first programme features, Thilak Karunaratne, Chairman, SEC, Vajira Wijegunawardane, Director General, SEC and Rajeeva Bandaranaike, Chief Executive Officer, CSE and the panel who discuss the current status of the stock market, regulation and the way forward. The first episode can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=z6uokwICEp8