Purchasing Managers' Indices for both Manufacturing and Services activities decreased in July 2022.
Manufacturing PMI declined in July 2022, indicating a contraction in manufacturing activities on a month-on-month basis.
Services PMI recorded an index value of 43.0 in July 2022 indicating a contraction in services activities for the fourth consecutive month.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), with a view to broadening its engagement with key stakeholders of the economy, established the Stakeholder Engagement Committee (SEC) by replacing the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee (MPCC) and the Financial System Stability Consultative Committee (FSSCC) of the CBSL that were in operation previously. The SEC is chaired by Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, Professor in Economics, Department of Economics, University of Colombo and comprises the following 17 eminent personalities from the private sector and academia as members.
The merchandise trade balance recorded a surplus in June 2022 for the first time since August 2002, reflecting the impact of historically high monthly export earnings and the continued decline in import expenditure. Earnings from tourism recorded an increase in June 2022 (year-on-year) from the low base, despite the negative sentiments associated with travel advisories and the ongoing shortage of fuel and resultant transportation difficulties. Workers’ remittances moderated in June 2022, compared to May 2022, reflecting an increase of grey market activity of foreign exchange transactions. Foreign investment in the government securities market recorded a marginal net inflow, while that in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) recorded a marginal net outflow during June 2022.
The Government and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) have been implementing several measures to ease the burden of the current economic hardships on the people. One major factor that is contributing to the current crisis and the resultant hardships is the lack of foreign exchange liquidity in the banking system. Such shortage of forex liquidity has affected the provision of essential imports, including fuel. To ensure adequate foreign exchange liquidity in the banking system, the CBSL had to impose surrender requirements on export earnings. Further, measures were taken by the Government and the CBSL to discourage foreign exchange outflows, such as imposing restrictions on certain imports and payment terms and introducing margin requirements, while encouraging foreign inflows through the banking system, rather than those being channelled through the grey market.
Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI, 2013=100) increased to 60.8% in July 2022 from 54.6% in June 2022. This increase in Y-o-Y inflation was driven by the monthly increases of both Non-Food and Food categories. Accordingly, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 90.9% in July 2022 from 80.1% in June 2022, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 46.5% in July 2022 from 42.4% in June 2022.
Mr. Anthony Nihal Fonseka has been reappointed as a member of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) with effect from 27 July 2022 for a period of six years. Previously, he served on the Monetary Board from July, 2016 to May 2020 and from May 2022 to 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 58.9% in June 2022 from 45.3% in May 2022. This increase in Y-o-Y inflation was driven by the monthly increases of both Food and Non-Food categories. Accordingly, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 75.8% in June 2022 from 58.0% in May 2022, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 43.6% in June 2022 from 34.2% in May 2022.
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has introduced several concessionary schemes since March 2020, to assist affected borrowers. Such concessions include concessionary debt moratoriums, loan restructuring/rescheduling, suspension of recovery actions, low-cost working capital loans and waivers of fees and charges for certain banking transactions. These concessions were provided to individuals including private sector employees and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other businesses engaged in tourism, transportation, manufacturing, services, agriculture, construction, apparel, IT, and related logistic services. Accordingly, the last phase of the moratorium granted to COVID-19 affected borrowers ended on 31.12.2021, while the last phase of the moratorium granted to the tourism sector ended on 30.06.2022.
Purchasing Managers' Indices for both Manufacturing and Services activities decreased in June 2022.
Manufacturing PMI declined in June 2022, indicating a setback in manufacturing activities on a month-on-month basis.
Services PMI dropped further to an index value of 40.3 in June 2022 indicating a contraction in services activities for the third consecutive month.
Considering the recent developments in relation to virtual currency usage in the international and domestic markets as well as the inquiries related to virtual currency, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) wishes to inform the public of the following.
Virtual Currencies (VCs) are largely unregulated digital representations of value that are issued by private entities and can be electronically traded.
