Exchange Rates on 31-Dec-08 in SLRS

(1) The average rates of the following currencies quoted by commercial banks in Colombo.

Currency		Buying Rate	Selling Rate

U.S. Dollar		112.62		114.03
Sterling Pound	161.94		164.95
Euro		157.85		161.17
Swiss Franc	105.82		108.19
Canadian Dollar	91.82		93.96
Australian Dollar	77.22		79.28
Singapore Dollar	78.01		79.66
Japanese Yen	1.2405		1.2697

(2) The approximate exchange rates of GULF Currencies, based on previous day’s market weighted average rate for the US$ are as follows:
Country		Currency		Indicative Rate

Bahrain		Dinar		300.11
Kuwait		Dinar		409.56
Oman		Rial		293.87
Qatar		Riyal		31.06
Saudi Arabia	Riyal		30.15
UAE		Dirham		30.80
	
(3) The Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWPLR) and the Lowest Prime Rate (LPR) during the week ended 26th December, 2008 by all commercial banks was 18.20 percent and 15.72 percent respectively.

(4) The Average Weighted Deposit Rate (AWDR) of Commercial banks for the month of November, 2008 was 11.39 percent.