Sri Lanka Carson oil palm profits down

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Carson Cumberbatch group net profit for the June 2010 quarter fell 12 percent to 1. 19 billion rupees from a year ago with a lower contribution from its oil palm plantations in east Asia, latest results showed. Revenue of the group, which has oil palm plantations in Indonesia […]

Portable Numbers

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is ready for mobile number portability, where the subscribers who switch telecom operators can take their personal number with them to the new provider, but the rule should also apply to fixed networks, an industry official said. But Sri Lanka’s fixed access sector is stagnant or shrinking. In […]

Sri Lanka Hemas power profits up on hydro gains

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas Power said net profit for the June 2010 quarter shot up 967 percent to 80 million rupees from a year ago on a sharp increase in earnings from hydropower. Sales of the company, a unit of the Hemas Holdings group, fell five percent to 729 million rupees […]

Sri Lanka to reduce high costs of thermal power plants

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is giving top priority to cutting high costs of running thermal power plants, encouraging energy conservation measures and shifting to renewable energy sources, minister of power and energy Champika Ranawaka said. “Our short-term plan is to convert high-cost thermal power plants using diesel and heavy fuels into low-cost […]

Sri Lanka ex-army chief faces new trial

July 29, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka was brought before the Colombo High Court on Thursday to answer charges of provoking violence. Fonseka, who already faces two courts martial and two more criminal cases, was taken before a three-member “trial-at-bar” for the first time and charged, […]

Sri Lanka minister says China Exim Bank hard negotiators

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – China’s Export Import Bank, which has become a top funder of infrastructure in Sri Lanka, is a tough negotiator that goes through project proposals like a commercial bank while Europe is giving peanuts, a senior minister said. “China will give a 50 million dollar grant and they will not ask […]

Sri Lanka informal Islamic financiers should prepare for regulation: official

July 29, 2010 (LBO) – Informal entities that have been operating as Islamic financiers in Sri Lanka will have to get their houses in order and become fully compliant with supervisory regulations ahead of a new law on deposit taking, an industry official said. “Some IFIs (Islamic financial institutions), because the owner is a well-known […]

Sri Lanka Treasuries yields slip

July 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasury bill yields slipped between 02 to 09 basis points at Wednesday’s auction, despite the government raising fresh money, the debt office said. The debt office sold 1.624 billion rupees in 3-month bills, 5.325 billion in 6-month bills and 6.560 billion rupees in 12-month bills. The 3-month yield […]

Sri Lankan stocks close up 2.81-pct

July 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed at a new high Wednesday, up 2. 81 percent from price appreciation on high value and midcap stocks on low volume trading, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 5,139.42, up 140.37 points, while the more liquid Milanka index rose 2. 70 percent (152.81 […]

Logistical Skills

July 28, 2010 (LBO) – Several batches of transport professionals will graduate from Sri Lankan universities and academies this year, easing a skills shortfall as the island seeks to become a hub for the region, an official said. “This program which is offered through the Faculty of Engineering will produce graduates especially skilled in professional […]

Page 2203 of 4062