Modest currency gains mark Wednesday trading, while bond yields remain largely unchanged across key maturities amid ongoing treasury bill auction.
Sri Lanka’s rupee opened stronger on Wednesday, trading at 300.00/80 against the US dollar in the spot market, improving from Tuesday’s close of 300.70/301.00, according to market dealers. This minor appreciation reflects a cautiously stable outlook in the foreign exchange market.
Meanwhile, bond yields remained broadly steady, showing minimal movement across maturities. The yield on the bond maturing on October 15, 2028, remained flat at 8.90/95 percent. The December 15, 2029 maturity saw a marginal uptick, quoted at 9.48/55 percent, slightly up from 9.48/54 percent.
The bond maturing on March 15, 2031 was quoted at 9.95/10.02 percent, maintaining its previous range. In contrast, the bond maturing on December 15, 2032 eased slightly, quoted at 10.30/35 percent, compared to 10.30/36 percent a day earlier.
The stability in bond yields coincided with an ongoing auction of Rs. 132 billion in Treasury bills, which is expected to influence liquidity and short-term rates depending on investor appetite and demand distribution.
On the equities front, the Colombo Stock Exchange saw mixed signals. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) edged up by 0.04 percent to reach 17,288 points, while the S&P SL20 index slipped by 0.19 percent to 5,141. This reflects a cautiously optimistic trading sentiment as investors weigh local economic signals and global market trends.