COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan rupee ended steady on Thursday as a state-run bank kept the selling rate of the greenback at 133.80 amid dollar demand from importers and inward remittances ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid, dealers said.
The spot currency closed unchanged for a third straight session on Thursday, after it fell for the first time in seven sessions on Monday following the state-owned bank's decision to raise the dollar-selling rate by 0.15 percent, to 133.80 from 133.60.
"There was importer demand despite the inward remittances for Ramzan (the Muslim holy fasting month) festival. But it ended steady as the state bank sold dollars," a currency dealer said.
The rupee has been under pressure due to more than 80 billion rupees ($598 million) worth government securities maturing this week, dealer said.
The central bank has however kept the currency from falling further through sale of treasury bonds, development bonds and t-bills, dealers said.
Central bank officials were unavailable for comment.
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