Economy

Sri Lanka commercial banks repay foreign credits

Friday January 20, 2023 8:53 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s commercial banks have reduced their negative foreign asset position over the past year by over 500 million US dollars since rates were hike in April 2022, official data show.

Commercial banks had a negative 732 million US dollar foreign asset (borrowed abroad and gave credit domestically) position in April 2022 which has fallen to a negative 230 million US dollars by November 2022.

At offshore banking units, NFA turned positive in May and was plus by 292.9 million US dollars by November 2022, central bank data show.

At domestic banking units, NFA is still negative by 523 million US dollars.

A pegged regime that does not print money through open market operations can make any foreign capital payment without a problem (free flow of capital) as long as money is not printed to maintain a fixed policy rate after interventions.

If there is no policy rate enforced with liquidity injections, banks have to curtail domestic credit to repay a foreign credit line or a swap automatically eliminating forex shortages.

Any foreign repayment (an outflow through the financial account) reduces domestic credit, domestic investment and imports (reduce the current account deficit), as long as interest rates are market driven.

The problem is explained by classical economists as the impossible trinity of monetary policy objectives.

Economic bureaucrats who operate soft-pegs or flexible exchange rates, or flexible inflation targeting with a reserve collecting central bank pretends that the problem does not exist, as s result countries with reserve collecting central banks run into forex shortages.

Then exchange and import controls are imposed.

Sri Lanka is set to legalize flexible inflation targeting under and IMF backed program.

Sri Lanka’s commercial banks had borrowed abroad, especially to buy Sri Lanka Development Banks in recent years as forex shortages increased under flexible inflation targeting, giving credit beyond foreign currency deposits in their books.

Banks also lent to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as forex shortages emerged from flexible inflation targeting.

The government started to have difficulties in repaying SLDBs several months before default was declared in April 2022.

SLDBs were repaid through several methods, including offsetting against surrender requirements. Banks have also been allowed to run up net open positions to reduce the fx exposure.

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ICT

Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata hopes to hold prices despite rising costs

Friday January 27, 2023 6:35 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata hopes to hold prices despite higher taxes, rising costs like energy, officials said as the country goes through the worst currency crisis in the history of its intermediate regime central bank.

High inflation following a collapse of the currency has reduced real incomes of customers.

“There are many factors to consider, especially with the last price increase we did in last year did not resulted in a significant increase in revenue” Pradeep De Almeida · Group Chief Technology Officer at Dialog Axiata said at the launch of its Future zone at Lotus tower.

In September,2022 following an electricity tarrif hike dialog increased its tariffs on Mobile, Fixed Telephone, Broadband Plans and Value Added Services (Prepaid and Postpaid) by 20 percent while tariffs on all Pay Television Services were raised 25 percent.

Value Added Tax (VAT) was also raised by the government from 12 percent to 15 percent on all Telecommunications and Pay TV services.

“Even though we increase the prices we only saw around 8-9 percent increase in revenue,” Almeida said.

“That is because many users cut off their usage to limit the spending”.

Dialog will increase efficiencies and manage costs in an attempt to avoid prices increases for customers, he said.

Over the 24 months to December 2022, Sri Lanka;s central bank has generated inflation of 76 percent, based on the Colombo Consumer Price Index official data shows. Following the currency collapse, more power tariff hikes are planned.

“We are trying to mainly bear the cost from our side. We are getting a massive support from our parent company Telekom Malaysia International,” Navin Peiris, Group Chief Enterprise Officer at Dialog told EconomyNext.

“Therefore as of now, there is no plan to increase prices”. (Colombo/Jan 26/2023)

Markets

Sri Lanka shares fall at market close on profit taking

Thursday January 26, 2023 7:43 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka shares fell on Thursday as profit taking entered the market mainly on financial and diversified sectors, brokers said.

The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) fell 0.13 percent or 11.50 points to close at 8,926.56.

“The market was trading on dull trade mainly due to profit taking,” an analyst said.

“Also we saw investors taking a sideline as quarterly reports started to come”.

The earnings in the first quarter of 2023 are expected to be negative with revised up taxes and an imminent electricity tariff hike.

Earnings in the second quarter are expected to be more positive with the anticipation of IMF loan and possible reduction in the market interest rates as the tax revenue has started to generate funds.

The central bank’s policy decision was expected and investors have been eying on IMF deal with hopes of rapid economic recovery from the current unprecedented economic crisis, however since the market gained in the last sessions profit taking has come about, analysts said.

The market has been on a rising trend on the hopes of a faster IMF deal. However, the central bank government said the IMF deal is likely in the quarter or in the first month of the second quarter.

The most liquid index S&P SL20 fell 0.33 percent or 9.21 points to 2,798.

LOLC had seen some attention by investors as the firm disposed 90,256,750 shares held with Agstar PLC at 15-17.50 rupees a share.

The market witnessed a turnover of 1.2 billion rupees, lower than the month’s daily average of 1.9 billion rupees.

Expolanka dragging the market down closed 2.36 percent down at 186.7 rupees a share. Sampath bank fell 1.41 percent to close at 42 rupees a share while Royal Ceramic Lanka closed 2.59 percent dwn at 30.1 rupees a share.

(Colombo/Jan26/2023)

Bonds & Forex

Sri Lanka bonds yields steady at close

Thursday January 26, 2023 6:29 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka bond yields were steady at close on Thursday, dealers said, while a guidance peg for interbank transactions by the Central Bank remained steady.

A bond maturing on 01.05.2024 closed at 31.00/20 percent unchanged from the last close.

A bond maturing on 15.05.2026 closed at 26.60/90 percent, up from 28.50/70 percent on Wednesday.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2027 closed at 28.60/85 percent, up from 28.50/60 percent at the last close.

The three months bill closed at 29.75/30.25 percent unchanged from the last close.

The Central Bank’s guidance peg for interbank US dollar transactions appreciated by another 2 cents to 362.14 rupees against the US dollar.

Commercial banks offered dollars for telegraphic transfers at 360.49 rupees on Thursday, data showed. (Colombo/Jan 26/2022)