Sri Lankan rupee forwards eased slightly in dull trade on Tuesday as importer dollar demand surpassed greenback sales by banks amid growing uncertainty after the announcement of new tax hikes weighed on the currency, dealers said. One-week rupee forwards, which act as a proxy for the spot currency, ended weaker at 145.25/30 per dollar compared with Monday's close of 145.20/25.
The spot did not trade below 143.90, seen as the central bank's desired level. "There was importer demand today," said a currency dealer, asking not to be named.