Demand for 364 day maturity dips to 14-week low

• Dull sentiment in secondary bond market continues

By Wealth Trust Securities

The bids received for the 364 day bill decreased to a 14 week low of Rs. 18.82 billion at its weekly Treasury bill auction held yesterday while only Rs. 4.87 billion was accepted against its offered amount of Rs. 18 billion. However, the shortfall was reduced to Rs. 11.52 billion as additional amounts of Rs. 0.90 billion and 0. 71 billion were accepted from the 91 day and 182 day maturities respectively on the back of excessive demand for those maturities. The weighted average rates on the 91 day and 182 day maturities decreased by 01 basis point each to 4.51% and 4.64% respectively while the weighted average rate on the 364 day maturity remained steady at 4.88%. 

Sentiment in the secondary bond and bill market remained rather dull with the 01.05.25 bond maturity changing hands at a level of 6.37% while 11 December 2020 and 05 March 2021 bill maturities traded at levels of 4.52% and 4.65% respectively, pre-auction.

The total secondary market Treasury bond/bill transacted volumes for 15 September was Rs. 7.06 billion.   

In the money market, the weighted average rates of overnight call money and Repos stood at 4.52% and 4.60% respectively as the overnight net surplus liquidity was registered at Rs. 170.02 billion.

LKR loses

In the Forex market, USD/LKR rate on spot contracts was seen depreciating yesterday to close the day at Rs. 185.00/10 against its previous day’s closing level of Rs. 184.40/55, on the back of buying interest by banks.

The total USD/LKR traded volume for 15 September was $ 112.23 million.   

(References: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Bloomberg E-Bond trading platform, Money broking companies)