As the second stage, commercial banks joined the Bloomberg electronic bond trading platform for government securities secondary market transactions with effect from 15.09.2016. Prior to this, all primary dealers joined the platform on 01.08.2016. Therefore, now all primary dealers and banks undertake trades among them in the platform and report all over-the-counter outright deals with investors of Rs 50 mn and above within 30 minutes. The Central Bank releases basic trade information on yields and volumes by each security traded to its website next day. During 32 market days from 01.08.2016 to 15.09.2016, a number of 1,816 outright transactions amounting to Rs. 218.7 bn took place in trade of the majority of securities in issue. In due course, the Central Bank will release such market information twice a day, at noon and close of the day. Accordingly, all stakeholders have now begun to yield the benefits arising from the transparency, price discovery and liquidity created through this trading platform in the market.

The sixth edition of “A Step by Step Guide to Doing Business in Sri Lanka” has been now published by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). This publication contains useful regulatory information on starting, operating and closing a business enterprise in Sri Lanka. As proposed by the relevant institutions, the necessary amendments up to the first quarter of 2016 are incorporated into this edition.

This is a useful source document with all information in one place for the business community and foreign investors and will assist by reducing the search costs, time and inconvenience in accessing such information.