Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Monday, 11 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
However, buying interest during the latter part of the week coupled with a ‘wait-and-see’ approach adopted by most participants resulted in yields dipping to weekly lows and closing the week at levels of 10.97/99, 11.06/08 and 10.68/72 respectively. In addition the 1 April 2016 maturity was seen changing hands at levels of 10.35% to 10.42%.
During the week the weighted averages at the weekly Treasury bill auction declined for a seventh consecutive week to 8.94% and 9.82% respectively on the 182 day and 364 day bills. In the secondary bill market the May 2014 bills changed hands within a range of 8.90% to 9.00% and the 364 day bill within 9.78% to 9.80%, reflecting continued buying interest.
Meanwhile in money markets, surplus liquidity increased towards the later of the week to close the week at Rs. 27.42 b as overnight call money and repo rates remained steady to average 7.77% and 7.07% for the week.
The Open Market Operations (OMO) Department of Central Bank was seen mopping up liquidity during the week by way of seven day term repo auctions at weighted averages ranging from 7.46% to 7.47%.
Rupee loses ground marginally
The rupee lost ground to an intra-week low of Rs. 131.10 on the back of import led demand and remained steady at these levels during the latter part of the week as selling interest set in. The total USD/LKR traded volume for the first four days of this week stood at US $ 68.34 million. Some of the forward dollar rates that prevailed in the market were one month – 131.90; three months – 133.55; and six months – 135.70.
