The general public is hereby informed that with effect from 01 April, 2016 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) at 24, Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha, Colombo 01, ceases to operate as a Primary Dealer. HSBC will, however, continue to function as a Dealer Direct Participant in scripless securities and transact in scripless securities on behalf of customers and maintain customer accounts in LankaSecure.

Inflation, as measured by the change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) (2013=100), which is compiled by the Department of Census and Statistics, increased to 1.7 per cent in February 2016 from -0.7 per cent in January 2016, on year-on-year basis. The main contributor towards the increase in year-on-year inflation was the Non-food category, with substantial increases observed in Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco; Clothing and Footwear; Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance; Heath; Transport and Miscellaneous Goods and Services sub categories, which surpassed the overall price decline observed in the food category in the NCPI.

The change in the NCPI measured on an annual average basis decreased to 2.6 per cent in February 2016 from 2.9 per cent recorded in January 2016.