Sri Lanka foreign reserves US5.2bn in November

Jan 20, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves reached 5,228 million US dollars by end November 2009, which was equal to 6.4 months of imports, the Central Bank said. In 2009 the trade deficit was 2,468.5 million US dollars and remittances were 567 million US dollars higher. With the balances of the Asian Clearing […]

Sri Lankan stocks recover losses

Jan 20, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed 1.4 percent higher Wednesday recouping some of the losses made over the past two days as investors kept a close eye on presidential polls due early next week, dealers said. With occupancy rates going up their is renewed interest in the leisure sector, brokers said. Aitken […]

Sri Lanka dairy farmers get US lift

Jan 20, 2010 (LBO) – Dairy farmers in eastern Sri Lanka will get technical help to improve milk production and also be linked to agri-business firms, in a program supported by the United States. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed a deal with Manmunai West Livestock Breeders Cooperative Society to increase the […]

Pacific Refuge

WELLINGTON, January 19, 2010 (AFP) – New Zealand has agreed to take 13 Sri Lankan refugees who spent weeks refusing to leave an Australian customs boat in Indonesia last year, the government said Tuesday. New Zealand originally did not want to take any of the Tamil refugees who refused to leave the Oceanic Viking, but […]

Giant, leaping Asian carp threaten US Great Lakes

CHICAGO, January 20, 2010 (AFP) – Huge Asian carp, which act like “aquatic vacuum cleaners” and leap into the air when spooked by motorboats, may have invaded the US Great Lakes despite a massive effort to block them, officials said Tuesday. Researchers analyzing water samples have discovered fragments of Asian carp DNA in Lake Michigan, […]

Sri Lanka to get solar power plant from Korea

Jan 20, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is getting a 500 kiloWatt solar power plant from Korea which will be built in Hambantota in the south of the island and used to gain more knowledge on operating the technology , officials said. The plant will be run by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, which […]

Sri Lanka exports fall 5.0-pct in November

Jan 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell 5.0 percent in December from a year earlier, with industrial exports falling 12.2 percent, though agricultural exports were up 23.7 percent, the Central Bank said. During the 11 months to November exports were down 14.7 percent to 6,361.1 million US dollars, imports were down 31. 9 […]

‘s group writes to presidential front runners

Jan 20, 2010 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan citizen’s group has written to the two main candidates running for next weeks polls asking for more attention to the island’s minority groups and constitutional reforms to promote equality to all citizens. “We note with distress a major lacuna in both manifestos,” the group, Friday Forum said […]

Sri Lanka stocks extend losses in broad sell-off

Jan 19, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks fell 1. 2 percent Tuesday in a broad sell-off that as buyers awaited third quarter results and kept an eye on presidential polls due next week, brokers said. MTD Walkers, a Malaysian controlled construction firm, extended gains closing 43.00 rupees higher at 425.75 rupees. In brief stock […]

Tax Plan

Jan 19, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is looking to reduce taxes on banks over the next few years allowing banks to generate more funds to recapitalize, as the economy is poised for a growth phase after the end of a 30-year war, an official said. “Over the next five years banks have to devise […]

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