Sri Lanka Seylan Bank reveals restructuring measures

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank, being restructured under regulatory supervision has revealed to shareholders some of action it is taking to change processes, trim staff costs and revamp credit policies. Its interest rate spread had increased to 6. 0 percent from 5.18 percent. The bank said its cost-to-income ratio worsened to […]

Sri Lanka holds policy rates amid high inflation

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said it is holding policy rates steady in despite inflation rising to 7. 8 percent in the 12-months to February, one of the highest in Asia, as it expected food prices to fall in the next two months. Sri Lanka’s central bank also has one of […]

Sri Lanka has lower social unrest risk from inflation: S&P

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is among Asian countries that had lower risks of social unrest from high inflation due to popular administrations, higher growth and lower unemployment, Standard and Poor’s Corporation, a rating agency said. S & P said in a sovereign rating review of the Asia Pacific region that inflation has […]

Devastated Pietersen adds to World Cup injury woes

NEW DELHI, March 7, 2011 (AFP) – England star Kevin Pietersen became the injury-cursed World Cup’s latest victim on Monday, his high-profile departure predictably dwarfing Canada’s low-key win over fellow no-hopers Kenya. Pietersen will head home to undergo a hernia operation that he had been hoping to postpone until after the competition. But after looking […]

Bangladesh creates $700mn fund to prop up stocks

DHAKA, March 7, 2011 (AFP) – Bangladesh will create a $700 million mutual fund, the country’s biggest ever, in a bid to stabilise the highly volatile Dhaka stock exchange, the head of a state-owned investment bank said Monday. The plan is part of the government’s drive to restore calm to the market, after sharp falls […]

DHAKA, March 7, 2011 (AFP) – Bangladeshi Nobel laureate and micro-lending pioneer Muhammad Yunus claimed Monday his ousting from a high-profile bank job was a government power grab, as he awaited a court verdict on his dismissal. The 70-year-old — who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering the concept of small cash […]

Outsource Work

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata, the island’s largest mobile operator, said it plans to set up an Information Technology (IT)-enabled services venture and was looking for an international partner for business process outsourcing work. Dialog Axiata chief Hans Wijayasuriya said last month that new investments of 150 million US dollars will […]

Threat Assessment

TORONTO, March 7, 2011 (AFP) – A Tamil asylum seeker accused of extremist links for living in a former rebel-controlled area of Sri Lanka is not a threat to Canada, a tribunal ruled Monday. “The man’s work for the LTTE — Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam designated as a terrorist organization by Canada — was […]

Finance Rating

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Fitch Ratings said it had confirmed a ‘BB-(lka)’ rating of Edirisinghe Trust Investment Ltd’s (ETI), a registered finance company, with a ‘stable’ outlook. “ETI’s rating reflects its relatively weak core equity position and large exposure to real estate investments,” the rating agency said. “It also takes into account […]

Above Ground

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority is considering building an elevated highway to connect the capital’s city centre with two key suburban towns and reduce congestion, R W R Pemasiri, its director-general, said. “We can make it a toll road,” Pemasiri said. “We’re planning a feasibility study on the project soon […]

Sri Lanka stocks extend losses

Mar 08, 2011(LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks extended losses Tuesday falling 1. 8 percent amid a broad sell-off and some retailers collecting cash for upcoming initial public offerings, brokers said. Turnover was 1.9 billion rupees. Brokers said there were some forced selling of credit backed portfolios. In November 2010, the Securities Exchange Commission said it […]

Sri Lanka sells US$192mn in floating rate bonds

Mar 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has sold 192 million US dollars in three and four year dollar denominated bonds mainly targeting local investors, rolling over existing maturing debt issued at much higher rates. In March 2009 in the midst of a balance of payments crisis, Sri Lanka had to pay 540 basis points […]

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