The Sri Lankan rupee ended steady on Tuesday, a day after the central bank kept its key policy rates unchanged and as dollar sales by a private bank helped offset demand for the greenback from importers, dealers said. The private bank might have sold dollars on behalf of the central bank, some dealers said. Officials at the central bank were not available for comments.
The rupee ended flat at 144.00/20 per dollar. "The demand (for dollars) is there and the pressure (to depreciate) is there. But the central bank is adopting various measures to control the rupee," said a currency dealer, asking not to be named.