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Annual Report & Accounts 2014/2015

23rd June 2016

In 2014, the Sri Lankan economy showed its resilience in the face of domestic as well as external challenges. Real GDP grew by 7.4 per cent in 2014, in comparison to the growth of 7.2 per cent in 2013. Accordingly, GDP per capita increased to US dollars 3,625 in 2014 from US dollars 3,280 in the previous year. The economy was driven by domestic consumption expenditure that constitutes the largest share of aggregate demand, while investments, particularly on construction, also provided an impetus to the economic expansion during the year. On the production side, the Industry and Services sectors continued to perform well, while adverse weather conditions dampened the performance of the Agriculture sector during the year. Inflation remained at single digit levels for the sixth consecutive year, with year-on-year and annual average inflation declining to 2.1 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively, by end 2014, from 4.7 per cent and 6.9 per cent, respectively, at end 2013. Prudent monetary policy as well as the considerable decline in global commodity prices in the second half of the year enabled the deceleration of inflation to low single digit levels during the year.

In spite of the relatively relaxed monetary policy stance, the effect of declining pawning advances as a result of lower international gold prices shrouded the pickup of credit obtained by the private sector, particularly in the first seven months of the year.

In the absence of demand pressures on inflation, the Central Bank took measures to facilitate further credit disbursements by banks. However, these measures, along with volatile global conditions, caused some portfolio investment outflows and encouraged imports, increasing the pressure on the external sector and the exchange rate towards the latter part of the year. Overall, the trade deficit widened in nominal terms during the year, although inflows from trade in services and workers’ remittances supported the reduction of the deficit in the current account. This, together with other financial inflows, helped strengthen the balance of payments (BOP), and hence gross official reserves. The continued inflow of funds from the expatriate workforce in the form of remittances and investments aided an increase in national savings, which helped reduce the savings-investment gap. Meanwhile, in the fiscal sector, despite the government’s announced commitment towards fiscal consolidation, the overall fiscal deficit increased to 6.0 per cent of GDP in 2014 from 5.9 per cent of GDP in the previous year, mainly as a result of the continued shortfall in revenue collection. Nevertheless, central government debt as a percentage of GDP declined to 75.5 per cent by end 2014 from 78.3 per cent by end 2013.

In the financial sector, the strengthened regulatory and supervisory framework, improved risk management capabilities and adequate buffers to mitigate risks, enabled financial institutions to remain resilient during the year.

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