By end May 2014, Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves amounted to US dollars 8.8 billion while total foreign assets which include foreign assets of the banking sector amounted to US dollars 10.2 billion.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka says in terms of months of imports, gross official reserves were equivalent to 5.9 months of imports at end May 2014, while total foreign assets were equivalent to 6.9 months of imports.

The healthy level of reserves being maintained despite outflows on account of foreign debt service payments of US dollars 987.4 million and IMF-SBA payments of US dollars 264.7 million is noteworthy, adds the Central Bank.