On Monday, after the market closed, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal told Reuters that interest rates would ease this year as the monetary authority maintains a loose monetary policy stance.
The main index edged down 0.01 percent, or 0.58 points weaker at 5,704.62, its lowest since March 15.
Yields on T-bills rose for the fourth straight week at a March 25 auction even though the central bank had kept its key policy rates unchanged for a third month in a row.,
Turnover was 1.01 billion rupees ($7.99 million), in line with this year's daily average of 1 billion rupees.
Foreign investors were net buyers of 339.6 million rupees worth of shares, extending the year-to-date net foreign inflow to 5.32 billion rupees worth of shares.
The rupee ended weaker at 126.40/45 to the dollar, from Monday's close of 126.30/35. ($1 = 126.4000 Sri Lanka rupees)
(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez)
(ranga.sirilal@thomsonreuters.com)(+94-11-232-5540)
(Reuters Messaging: ranga.sirilal.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(twitter.com/rangab a)
http://www.xe.com/news/2013/04/02/3284581.htm?c=1&t=