Sri Lanka exports top US$10bn, record growth in 2011

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports topped 10 billion US dollars in 2011 growing at above 20 percent, a threshold achieved only on eight occasions since 1951, which exporters have reached for two years running. Sri Lanka’s exporters have shipped 10,486.9 billion US dollars worth goods in 2011, up 22.4 percent from a […]

Sri Lanka state airline losses financed by petroleum retailer: report

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s loss making state-run airlines have been mainly financed by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, to which they owe 18 billion rupees (150 million dollars) in unpaid dues for fuel, a media report said. Losses for the current year so far at Mihin Air, a state-budget carrier are not known but […]

Credit Trends

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Loans to business from Sri Lanka’s commercial banks rose 34.5 percent to 2,005.9 billion rupees in the year to December 2011, with credit to the state hitting a new monthly high, official data showed. Credit to business in December remained at a high 60.2 billion rupees in December 2011, slightly […]

Income Gains

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank (NDB) said December 2011 quarter net profit shot up 69 percent to almost a billion rupees with a sharp increase seen in other income and lower tax costs. A note to the accounts said NDB provided 165 million rupees during the year ended December 31, […]

Sri Lanka shares end down 1.6-pct

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices fell Monday, ending a seven-day rally, with turnover also lower and sharp fluctuations in some illiquid stocks, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index closed down 1.61 percent (89.71 points) at 5,476.59, while the more liquid Milanka index fell 1.03 percent (49.39 points) to close […]

Sri Lanka rupee trades weaker

Feb 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka rupee was quoted as low as 121. 05/121.25 levels against the spot US dollar in intra-day trade Monday after opening at around Friday’s close of 119. 90/120.20 dealers said. Analysts have called for rates to be allowed to move up, to keep the exchange rate steady. Update II […]

‘s Ceylinco Insurance Dec net up 27-pct

Feb 26, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s listed Ceylinco Insurance said it had earned profits of 929 million rupees in the December 2011 quarter up 27 percent from a year earlier partly helped by other income. The firm reported earnings of 35 rupees for the quarter. In the year to December the group reported earnings […]

Adani group to invest $6b in overseas expansion

MUMBAI, (Asia Pulse) – India’s diversified Adani Group said it will invest US$6 billion in overseas expansion by 2015, mainly in Australian mining and related assets. “We will be investing US billion into our overseas assets (spread in Australia and Indonesia) by 2015,” group Chairman Gautam Adani told reporters here after unveiling a new corporate […]

Sri Lanka commercial forex loan repayments pile up: report

Feb 26, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is planning to raise 600 million dollars in commercial debt from the local market in 2012 mostly to roll over existing debt a media report said, not counting a 500 million dollar sovereign bond that also falls due this year. Sri Lanka’s balance of payments had come under […]

Sri Lanka Shangri-La investment a message for investors: economic minister

Feb 25, 2012 (LBO) – Starting construction of a 550 million dollar hotel investment by Shangri-La, a Hong Kong based leisure group in Sri Lanka is a signal for other international investors, economic development minister Basil Rajapasksa said. “Not only are they managing the hotel, they are investing the total amount so it’s a very […]

Tighter Margins

Feb 25, 2012 (LBO) – Profits of Sri Lanka’s Nations Trust Bank rose 54 percent in the December 2011 quarter to 363 million rupees from a year earlier, helped by non-interest income and a lower tax bill, despite narrower interest margins. The bank reported earnings of 1.60 rupee per share for the quarter. In the […]

Sri Lanka December 2011 exports up 24-pct

Feb 24, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports in December 2011 went up 24 percent to 906 million US dollars from year ago with sharp gains in textiles and rubber products, the central bank said. Imports during the month went up 34 percent to 1.9 billion dollars with spending on investment goods like transport equipment […]

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