For the first ten months of 2014, long term loans obtained by the Government amounted to US dollars 1,411 million. Foreign investments in the government securities market from January to end October 2014 recorded a net outflow of US dollars 109 million, while foreign investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) up to the end November 2014 recorded a net inflow of US dollars 150 million.

By end October 2014, Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves amounted to US dollars 8.8 billion, while total foreign assets, which include foreign assets of the banking sector amounted to US dollars 10.3 billion.

It is noteworthy that a healthy level of reserves was maintained, despite outflows on account of foreign currency debt service payments of US dollars 1,980 million and IMF-SBA payments of US dollars 624 million.

The rupee remained stable against the US dollar with only a marginal depreciation of 0.2 per cent as at December 09, 2014.
(ST/KH)