COLOMBO – Sri Lanka rupee closed flat at 186.30/50 against to the US dollar on Wednesday (26), while bond yields remained unchanged and stocks fell.
Rupee ended on Tuesday (25) at 186.30/70 against the US dollar.
In the secondary government securities markets, bond yields were flat in dull trade with no high liquidity showing in any maturity yet, dealers said.
Sri Lanka’s debt office has offered Rs 40 billion spilt into Rs 5 billion at a maximum rate of 4.59% maturing in 3-months, Rs15 billion at 4.71% maturing in 6-months and Rs 20 billion maturing at 4.90% maturing in 12-months.
A 2-year bond maturing on 15.12.2022 closed at 5.55/60% on Wednesday, unchanged from 5.55/60 from Tuesday’s closing, while a bond maturing on 15.01.2023 closed at 5.58/65%, up from 5.57/65% at the previous closing and a bond maturing on 15.09.2024 closed at 6.05/15%, up from Tuesday’s closing at 6.02/12%.
Meanwhile, a bond maturing on 01.05.2025 closed at 6.35/42%, flat from the previous day’s closing, while a bond maturing on 01.02.2026 closed at 6.50/60%, unchanged from 6.50/55% at the previous closing and a bond maturing on 15.08.2027 closed at 6.95/7.02% from 6.95/7.00 at Tuesday’s closing.
A 10-year bond maturing on 15.05.2030 closed at 7.30/40%, stable from 7.30/38% at the previous day’s closing.
In equities, Sri Lanka’s stocks fell 0.51% on LOLC holdings, Brown Investments and LOLC Finance, provisional data showed.
Colombo’s All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 27.55 points up at 5,335.66. The market was volatile throughout the day, rising to a daily high of 5,356.82 within the first five minutes of trading, and falling to a low of 5,325.85 after mid-day trading but again picked up and continued the trajectory to close marginally high.
S&P SL20 Index of most liquid stocks closed 0.62% or 14.76 points down at 2,364.91.
Market turnover was Rs 1.8 billion, while 50 stocks gained and 94 fell. Rs 53.8 million negotiated trade (crossing) was seen in DFCC bank at Rs 67.00 a share and the stock closed flat at Rs 67.00 a share.
A Rs 28.8-million crossing was seen in John Keells Holdings Plc at Rs 133.00 a share and the stock closed 50 cents up at Rs 133.50 a share.
Three crossings amounting to Rs 393 million were seen in Access Engineering Plc at Rs 21.50 a share and the stock closed 40 cents up at Rs 22.10 a share
Net foreign buying in the market was Rs 834.2 million.
The LOLC Holdings plc share traded Rs 12.10 down at Rs 142.00 a share contributing most to ASPI’s fall.
Browns Investments Plc Holdings fell 10 cents to Rs 2.30 a share while LOLC Finance was down 20 cents to Rs 3.60 rupees a share, also dragging the ASPI down.
-economynext.com