Sri Lankan rupee weakens

The Sri Lankan rupee closed weaker on Tuesday as dollar demand from importers surpassed the sales of the US currency by exporters and by banks due to inward remittances, dealers said. The spot rupee ended at 153.23/30 per dollar, compared with Monday's closing level of 153.05/20. "There was pressure from some petroleum bills and other importer demand (for the dollar)," said a currency dealer who did not wish to be named.
The island nation had seen 18 billion rupees ($117.49 million) of net inflows into equities this year as of Tuesday's close, and 29.1 billion rupees worth inflows into government securities as of September 27 this year, official data showed.