All Blogs
Hunger Pangs
TNT employees around the world will take to the roads on Sunday, to raise awareness and funds against world hunger.TNT International Express employees in 64 countries across 24 time zones will come on to the roads starting from New Zealand to raise awareness about the extent of world hunger.rn rnldblquote The walk will start in […]
Land Lock
Expats buying land here will be charged a 100% tax, with a committee appointed to recommend action for new land sales and real-estate already sold. The committees advice due in 7 weeks will also cover policies on foreign ownership of other property like condominiums.rn rnFreedom Alliance Minister Anura Dissanayake told reporters in Colombo today that […]
Why Watch
The EU election monitors to Sri Lanka says another monitoring mission is not likely unless its repeated recommendations are implemented.The election monitors from the EU packed up their work in Sri Lanka and handed over their report to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar on Thursday, with some strong advice.rn rnldblquote The EU would […]
Inching Up
Three month treasury rates edged up at Wednesdays auction, stoked on by market appetite for debt paper with shorter tenures.The Central Bank said that three-month yields inched up one basis point to 7.83 percent, while six and one-year paper remained flat at 7.78 percent and 7.75 percent respectively.rn rnA total of Rs. 6,906 mn worth […]
Local Anesthesia
Sri Lankas roads are crying out for some serious medicine, but the Highways Ministry is tending the road network with sticking plasters, since it cant afford surgery.Sri Lanka has an extensive road network of more than 90,000 km, but most of it is also over 50 years old.rn rnMaintenance and rehabilitation of these roads, and […]
Under the Wing
Eagle Insurance paid some Rs. 145 mn for International Finance Corporations (IFC) 15 per cent stake in Union Assurance, in a deal that went through the Colombo bourse on Wednesday.IFC has been trying to exit the holding for about a year now.Industry sources said John Keells Holdings and Carsons Cumberbatch together sharing a 73 per […]
Warning Bells
The Securities watchdog on Wednesday threatened legal action against members firms who promote pyramid schemes as potential investments.The watchdog says it does not sanction or approve promotion of investments/participation in pyramid schemes or schemes of similar nature, by any firm or person licensed, registered or regulated by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).rn rnldblquote The […]
Sooner The Better
The Central Bank says sooner the oil price adjustment is made the better for the Sri Lankan economy, which has become increasingly open in recent years. Though there were signs that the immediate highs were easing, all indications pointed towards generally high crude prices for the foreseeable future.rn rn”Whatever the market, whenever the market prices […]
Murky Waters
With only a month and a half to go for an agreement by end July, the world multilateral trading system is facing an uncertain future if countries cannot settle their differences soon.The 148 member countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have still not arrived at agreements on the highly sensitive trade of agricultural products […]
Alls Well
The overnight repurchase rate (repo rate) was kept at 7.0 percent and the reverse repurchase rate (reverse repo) at 8.50 percent, the bank said in a statement following its monthly Monetary Policy Meeting late Tuesday. rn rnSecondary market bond rates have been jittery in the last few weeks after the President Chandrika Kumaratungas government opted […]