COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan rupee edged lower on Tuesday as importer dollar demand outpaced inward remittances and greenback sales by exporters, dealers said.
The rupee was a tad weaker at 130.22/24 per dollar at 0548 GMT, compared with Friday's close of 130.20/22.
"There is importer dollar demand. It's a temporary move but the appreciation trend is intact," said a currency dealer asking not to be named. Dealers said they were waiting for the National Savings Bank dollar bond sale proceeds.
Foreign investors sold a net 3.45 billion rupees ($26.50 million) worth of government securities in the week ended Sept. 3, official data showed.
The central bank did not offer 91-day t-bills at the weekly auction on Wednesday after it rejected all bids in the last two auctions, while yields on the 182-day and the 364-day treasury bills held steady for the third time. Sri Lankan shares were up 0.59 percent, or 41.76 points, at 7,129.17, a more than three-year high, at 0555 GMT.
Turnover was 606.1 million rupees ($4.66 million), with 21 million shares changing hands.
Sri Lanka's stock and foreign exchange markets were closed on Monday for a Buddhist holiday.
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