🇱🇰 Unit Trusts: Building a Nation of Investors 📈

Sri Lanka's SEC Chairman, Senior Prof. Hareendra Dissabandara, highlights Unit Trusts as a vital tool for financial inclusion & national economic growth. • What are Unit Trusts? They allow collective investment, pooling money from thousands of small investors for professional management in shares, government securities, & other assets. Each investor owns "units" and shares returns. • Why are they crucial for Sri Lanka? They enable ordinary citizens, even with small savings, to become investors, channeling idle money into productive investments, strengthening the capital market & national economy. • New National Initiative: "සැමට fකdටසක් – සැමට ඒකකයක්" (A Share for Each – A Unit for Everyone) • Proposed to the Government, aiming for every Sri Lankan household to own at least one unit in the capital market. • Rs. 1 billion from the Government, with additional contributions from SEC, CSE, stockbrokers, & listed companies. • Targets ~263,000 families, providing an initial investment credit of Rs. 3,000 - 5,000 into a CDS account. • Focuses on guiding low-income & rural families towards safer, professionally managed Unit Trusts. • Empowering Individuals: • Earn better returns on savings, potentially outpacing inflation. • Encourages financial discipline & regular saving. • Builds wealth over time through compounding (e.g., Rs. 3,000/month could grow to over Rs. 1 million in 15 years). • Nation Building: Individual investments flow into Sri Lankan companies & government projects, creating jobs & expanding the economy. • Safety & Regulation: All Unit Trusts are managed by SEC-approved & supervised fund management companies, with funds held by independent trustees (banks) to ensure investor protection & transparency. • How to Start: Very simple. Visit a Licenced Unit Trust management company/agent, fill a form, and start with as little as Rs. 1,000 - Rs. 5,000. No technical knowledge needed. • Myth Debunked: Investing is not just for the rich nor is it gambling. It's about owning a share in productive assets, managed professionally to help build wealth safely & gradually.