The Central Bank of Sri Lanka co-hosted the CBSL-ADBI-APAEA Online Macroeconomics Conference for the third consecutive year, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association (APAEA), on 23 September 2022. This year’s theme remained same as the previous year; ‘Emerging Issues for Macroeconomic Stability’.
-
Central Bank of Sri Lanka Co-hosted the 3rd CBSL-ADBI-APAEA Online Macroeconomics Conference
-
NCPI based headline inflation recorded at 70.2% on year-on-year basis in August 2022
Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, 2013=100) increased to 70.2% inAugust 2022 from 66.7% in July 2022. This increase in Y-o-Y inflation was mainly driven by the monthly increases of both Food and Non-Food categories. Accordingly, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 84.6% in August 2022 from 82.5% in July 2022, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 57.1% in August 2022 from 52.4% in July 2022.
Monthly change of NCPI recorded at 2.45% in August 2022 due to price increases observed in items of both Food and Non-Food categories which were 0.91% and 1.53%, respectively. Accordingly, within the Food category, increases were observed in prices of fresh fish, eggs, biscuits and fruits. However, prices of dhal, rice and sugar decreased during the month. Further, within the Non-Food category, increases were observed in prices of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (Electricity, Materials for maintenance and Kerosene), Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (Washing soap) and Miscellaneous Goods and Services subcategories during the month. It is noteworthy that Transport (Petrol, Diesel and Bus fare) subcategory recorded a decline during the month.
-
Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index - August 2022
Purchasing Managers Indices for both Manufacturing and Services activities increased in August 2022.
Manufacturing PMI recorded an index value of 49.6 in August 2022, up from July, yet at slightly below the neutral threshold level.
Services PMI returned to the growth territory in August 2022, recording an index value of 51.7 after declining for four consecutive months.
-
Imposition/Collection of Administrative Penalties by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to Enforce Compliance on Financial Institutions
By virtue of the powers vested under Section 19 (1) read together with Section 19 (2) of the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, No. 6 of 2006 (FTRA), financial penalties are imposed on Institutions for non-compliance with the provisions of the FTRA. The penalty may be prescribed taking into consideration the nature and gravity of relevant non- compliance of the Financial Institution.
Accordingly, as Sri Lanka’s regulator for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), the FIU, imposed a penalty as indicated below amounting to Rs. 1.0 million to enforce compliance on Financial Institutions. The money collected as penalties were credited to the Consolidated Fund.
-
External Sector Performance - July 2022
Earnings from exports increased in July 2022, while import expenditure declined for the fifth consecutive month, on a year-on-year basis. The notable decline in import expenditure in July 2022 reflected the impact of overall moderation of activity amidst forex liquidity strains in the banking system, while the policy measures to curtail non-urgent import expenditure also helped to contain import demand pressures. As a result, the trade deficit recorded a notable contraction in July 2022 over the year, thereby easing stresses in the domestic foreign exchange market. Workers’ remittances increased marginally in July 2022, compared to June 2022, and remained in excess of the trade deficit, thereby supporting the forex liquidity conditions under severe balance of payments pressures. Earnings from tourism recorded an increase in July 2022 (year-on-year) on the low base. Foreign investment in the government securities market and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) recorded a marginal net inflow during July 2022. The Central Bank continued to provide forex liquidity to finance essential imports, exhausting the usable level of gross official reserves. Meanwhile, the weighted average spot exchange rate in the interbank market remained around Rs. 361 per US dollar during the month.
-
IMF Staff Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on an Extended Fund Facility Arrangement with Sri Lanka
IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached a staff-level agreement to support Sri Lanka's economic policies with a 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of about US$2.9 billion.
The objectives of Sri Lanka’s new Fund-supported program are to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, while safeguarding financial stability, protecting the vulnerable, and stepping up structural reforms to address corruption vulnerabilities and unlock Sri Lanka’s growth potential.
-
CCPI based headline inflation recorded at 64.3% on year-on-year basis in August 2022
Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI, 2013=100) increased to 64.3% in August 2022 from 60.8% in July 2022. This increase in Y-o-Y inflation was mainly driven by the monthly increases of both Food and Non-Food categories. Accordingly, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 93.7% in August 2022 from 90.9% in July 2022, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 50.2% in August 2022 from 46.5% in July 2022.
-
Central Bank of Sri Lanka joins hands with the Foreign Employment Bureau to promote the LankaRemit mobile application
With the aim of popularizing the LankaRemit National Remittance Mobile Application among migrant workers, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) held a ceremony on 26 August 2022 at SLBFE to demonstrate its features. LankaRemit provides Sri Lankan expatriates with access to a fast, secure and more convenient remittance channel to send money to Sri Lanka.
CBSL in collaboration with LankaClear (Private) Limited (LCPL) implemented the “LankaRemit” mobile application with the launching of the first phase in February 2022. CBSL is in the process of creating awareness of “LankaRemit” locally and internationally with the support of stakeholders such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment and the SLBFE.
-
Release of ‘Economic and Social Statistics of Sri Lanka – 2022’ Publication
‘Economic and Social Statistics of Sri Lanka – 2022’, an annual publication of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, is now available for public access.Statistics Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka publishes this booklet, which consists of statistical tables categorised under eight major areas, i.e. ‘National Accounts’, ‘Economic and Social Infrastructure’, ‘Prices, Wages and Employment’, ‘External Trade and Finance’, ‘Government Finance’, ‘Money and Capital Markets’, ‘Financial Sector’ and a section including statistics of other countries. This publication will be a useful collection of information for those who are interested in socio-economic statistics.
-
NCPI based headline inflation recorded at 66.7% on year-on-year basis in July 2022
Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, 2013=100) increased to 66.7% in July 2022 from 58.9% in June 2022. This increase in Yo-Y inflation was mainly driven by the monthly increases of both Food and Non-Food categories. Accordingly, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 82.5% in July 2022 from 75.8% in June 2022, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 52.4% in July 2022 from 43.6% in June 2022.