Sri Lanka promises to keep calm and carry on

CARDIFF, May 31, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said there was no point in reading the riot act after a stunning collapse to 82 all out saw his side lose the first Test against England. A rain-affected match appeared destined for a draw after England declared their first innings on 496 for […]

Sri Lanka welfare spending seen helping raise support for war

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – A government fertiliser subsidy given to farmers was a key factor in generating public support for Sri Lanka’s military campaign that defeated Tamil Tiger separatists, a defence official said. The Indian and Sri Lankan governments maintained close ties and clear communications lines at the highest levels that ensured any issues […]

India GDP figures set to show growth above 8%

NEW DELHI, May 30, 2011 (AFP) – India is expected to post economic growth of more than eight percent when it reports data for the fiscal fourth-quarter on Tuesday, despite a series of rate hikes that have hit industrial output. Asia’s third-largest economy is estimated to have expanded 8.2 percent from a year earlier in […]

Sri Lanka Aitken Spence net up 20-pct in March

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence group, which has interests in tourism, shipping, power and plantations said profits rose 20. 7 percent to 754.4 million rupees in the March 2011 quarter, with revenues flat at 6. 9 billion rupees. In the full year to March the group’s revenues rose 4. 0 percent […]

Sri Lanka Hunas Falls hotel to increase rooms, push eco-image

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hunas Hotel, located in the central hill district of Kandy will expand rooms and ride on its eco-friendly image targeting niche markets, chairman Mohan Pandithage told shareholders. The hotel’s revenues had increased 31 percent to 102 million in the year to March and profits had increased 153 percent […]

Finance Deadline

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said 15 regulated finance companies have so far listed themselves on the Colombo Stock Exchange in response to a direction by the Central Bank and other are on the way. The Central Bank has set a deadline of June 30 for listings to be completed. The […]

Sri Lanka shares end down 0.7-pct

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended weaker Tuesday despite retail buying of popular and speculative stocks, brokers said. Capital Development and Investment Company, which had shot up 303.10 rupees or almost 75 percent Monday to 707.30 rupees, fell almost 10 percent Tuesday to end at 636. 90 rupees. The main All Share […]

Sri Lanka March exports surge 54-pct

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports surged 54 percent in March to 1,057 million dollars, topping a billion dollars for the first time helped by a steep increase in industrial goods as well as rising commodity prices, official data showed. Investment goods imports rose 95 percent to 163 million US dollars and consumer […]

Sri Lanka inflation eases to 8.8-pct in May

May 31, 2011 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo rose 8. 8 percent in May 2011 from a year earlier, decelerating from a high of 9.8 percent in April, the government’s statistics office data showed. The country’s interbank money markets are flushed with excess liquidity. But in the month of May the […]

” law not to apply to export workers: state

May 30, 2011 (LBO) – A proposed controversial ‘pension’ bill to strengthen state control over forced retirement savings of private sector workers will not apply to export industrial zones, the government said as protesters and police were injured in clashes. Sri Lanka has had three armed uprisings in the past four decades where tens of […]

Sri Lanka IFC investments upped after war

May 30, 2011 (LBO) – International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s private sector financing arm, said it could double investments in Sri Lanka to nearly 70 million dollars a year after a 30-year war ended in the country. “We are ready to step up our investment in the post conflict era,” Pavol Wajda, program coordinator […]

Sri Lanka IFC in business skill push through web, mobile

May 30, 2011 (LBO) – International Finance Corporation, World Bank’s private sector arm, Dialog Axiata and IBM Corporation is seeing growing use of a web based business training platform backed by mobile delivery in Sri Lanka, officials said. IFC’s business toolkit developed by IBM has been adapted to Sri Lanka since 2008 targeting small and […]

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