• CB expected to hold policy rates 
• CB’s monetary and financial sector road map on Jan.02

This year final monetary policy review, Monetary Policy No.08, will be announced on Dec.28 at 7.30 a.m., the Central Bank said.

The Central Bank is expected to hold the policy rates given the low single-digit inflation, moderation in credit growth and below trend GDP growth.
Sri Lanka’s economy grew only 2.9 percent in 3Q and the growth for the nine months is estimated at 3.3 percent.

In the November policy meeting, the Central Bank increased the Standing Deposit Facility Rate by 75 basis points to 8 percent and the Standing Lending Facility Rate by 50 basis points to 9 percent, to neutralize the impact of a 150-basis point cut in the Statutory Reserve Ratio.

Meanwhile, Central Bank Governor Dr.Indrajit Coomaraswamy is expected to announce the ‘Road Map: Monetary and Financial Sector Policies for 2019 and Beyond of the Central Bank’ on January 2, 2019.