Data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka indicates a substantial rise in gold-collateralized loans during the initial six months of 2026. Pawning advances grew by Rs. 211.9 billion, representing a 23.6% increase from the end of 2025. This surge brought the total outstanding value of these loans to Rs. 1.11 trillion by the end of June 2026. This growth rate ranks as the second highest among all lending sub-sectors, trailing only the credit provided to financial and business services, which saw an increase of Rs. 212.7 billion. Overall, licensed commercial banks issued a total of Rs. 1.14 trillion in new private-sector credit throughout this period, highlighting a robust demand for liquidity backed by precious metals across the national banking system.
Source : Newswire
Photo : Newswire
