Central Bank of Sri Lanka keeps overnight policy rate unchanged

26 Mar '25

1 min read

Central Bank of Sri Lanka keeps overnight policy rate unchanged

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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka's monetary policy board kept its key policy rate unchanged for a second meeting in a row yesterday to buttress economic recovery from its worst financial crisis in decades.
The overnight policy rate, introduced in November, was held steady at 8 per cent.
The country saw 5-per cent GDP growth last year and the bank expects growth to be above 3 per cent this year.

The monetary policy board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka kept its key policy rate unchanged for a second meeting in a row yesterday to buttress the nation’s economic recovery from its worst financial crisis in decades.

The overnight policy rate, introduced in November, was held steady at 8 per cent.

"The Board remains confident that the prevailing monetary policy stance will ensure that inflation will move towards the target of 5 per cent while supporting the growth of the domestic economy," the central bank said in a statement.

The country witnessed 5-per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth last year and the central bank expects growth to be above 3 per cent this year. It had plunged to its worst financial crisis in decades three years ago.

The country’s consumer price index contracted by 4.2 per cent year on year (YoY) in February.

Inflation is expected to reach positive territory by mid-2025 and track closer to the central bank’s 5-per cent target, the statement noted.

Risks to the inflation and growth outlook remain broadly in balance, it added.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)

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