For this reason, the Governing Council is ready to continue to exploit the flexibility in its asset purchase programme related to the pandemic emergency and to resort to its new Transmission Protection Instrument, to prevent financial markets tensions from counteracting any progress made in price stability and hindering economic growth.
Profits during the year shot up by Rs 1 billion, or 11 per cent higher than the previous year, and were just shy of Rs 10 billion. The capital base of banks continues to be strong. The shares of the two listed banks have held steady on the local stock exchange.