Earnings from exports remained robust in September 2022, while import expenditure declined for the seventh consecutive month, on a year-on-year basis, reflecting the significant reduction in imports of non-food consumer goods and investment goods. As a result, the merchandise trade deficit recorded a notable contraction in September 2022, (y-o-y). Workers’ remittances increased marginally in September 2022, (y-o-y). Earnings from tourism recorded an increase in September 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. Foreign investment in the government securities market and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) recorded a notable net inflow during September 2022. The Central Bank continued to provide forex liquidity to finance essential imports, exhausting the liquid level of gross official reserves. Meanwhile, the weighted average spot exchange rate in the interbank market remained around Rs. 362 per US dollar during the month.

‘Financial Literacy Survey Sri Lanka - 2021’, a publication of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, is now available for public access.

The Regional Development Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, with the assistance of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program – conducted the first ever countrywide Financial Literacy Survey in Sri Lanka, as part of the implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy of Sri Lanka. The key objective of the survey was to assess the level of financial literacy across the population with a view to formulating appropriate policy measures.

The survey focused on the elements of knowledge, attitudes and behavior within the concept of financial literacy and this publication consists of the key survey findings.