Jan 9 (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee ended firmer on Thursday at its 2-1/2-month closing high on exporter dollar sales and foreign buying in rupee bonds while dealers expect the local currency to gain unless the central bank intervenes to keep it at a particular level. The spot rupee closed at 130.68/75 per dollar, its highest close since Oct. 25 and firmer from Wednesday's close of 130.80/90. "There were decent inflows from some exporter conversions and rupee bonds," a currency dealer said. One of the two state banks, through which the central bank directs the market, defended the rupee throughout this week as the local currency faced downward pressure when foreigners bought dollars to exit rupee bonds. But the state bank bought dollars at market rate on Thursday. Dealers said the rupee was under pressure to appreciate in the near future due to the expected inflow from a $1 billion sovereign bond, but by how much would depend on what the central bank wanted to do -- whether to buy the inflows to build up its reserves or increase dollar liquidity in the market. The inflow from the sovereign bond is expected next week. The central bank on Jan. 2 said it expected the rupee to strengthen in the medium term and any direct intervention in the foreign exchange market would be minimum. The local currency has gained about 3.4 percent since it hit a record low of 135.20 on Aug. 28. It has lost 2.5 percent in 2013. (Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

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