Sri Lanka June tea crop hits new high

July 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea output rose sharply in June from a year ago, hitting a new production peak as the crop continued to recover from the year before, the Tea Board and brokers said. “If this trend continues, we are likely to match up to the all-time record crop achieved in […]

Finance Watch

July 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government is to set up a dedicated authority to regulate micro-finance institutions to make their supervision more effective, a government minister said. A previous effort to regulate micro-finance institutions in 2006 through the central bank was abandoned because a separate, independent authority was considered more appropriate. Micro finance […]

Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.17-pct

July 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed lower Thursday as investors took profits from an overheating market, while nearly 44 percent of Hotel Reefcomber divested by Amaya Leisure was mostly picked up by retail investors, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 4,849. 17, down 8.40 points while the more liquid […]

Sri Lanka to sell billion dollar bond to settle loans: minister

July 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will sell a billion dollar sovereign bond this year to settle more expensive short term foreign loans, media minister and cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwelle said. “The cabinet approval has been given to issue a sovereign bond of one billion dollars,” Rambukwelle said. “We have taken short term loans […]

Sri Lanka business wants action on loss-making state entities

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – The head of Sri Lanka’s top business chamber has called for loss-making state entities which are a drain on public finances to be turned around within a strict time frame or more radical alternatives considered. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce chairman Anura Ekanayake said recent reductions in inflation and interest rates […]

Murali magic sets India back in rain-hit Test

GALLE, July 20, 2010 (AFP) – Retiring spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed Sachin Tendulkar cheaply as Sri Lanka seized control of the rain-ravaged first Test against India on Tuesday. The world’s most successful bowler, who was eight short of the 800-wicket mark in his final appearance, trapped batting record holder Tendulkar leg-before for eight before […]

‘s five-star Murali makes India follow-on

GALLE, July 21, 2010 (AFP) – Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed five for 63 in his final match as Sri Lanka made India follow on in the first Test on Wednesday in Galle. The off-spinner took his career tally to 797 wickets as India were shot out for 276 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 520-8 […]

Two Sri Lanka beaches make top grade: Forbes

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – A beach stretch from Tangalle Bay to Weligama in Sri Lanka’s south and Bentota in the southwest have been named among the top 10 in Asia by Forbes, a business magazine. Sri Lanka is expecting 600,000 tourists this year and 2. 5 billion by 2016. The New York Times has […]

Equity Fund

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – New York based Logan Rockefeller Global (LR Global) is planning to invest 20 million US dollars in Sri Lanka through a newly set up local unit, which itself is planning a public listing as early as next year, officials said. “We are looking at Sri Lanka as a market that […]

Margin Growth

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank group net profit shot up 66 percent to 312 million rupees in the June 2010 quarter from a year ago as interest margins improved, a stock exchange filing said. Deposits and performing loans grew slightly and the bank managed to reduce bad loans. Interest income fell […]

River Yard

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan ship builder Colombo Dockyard has begun building a ferry for passengers in the former northern war zone using a new yard on a river close to Colombo port, a statement said. The 100-passenger launch is being built for the state-owned Road Development Authority and will be used to […]

Sri Lanka shares head higher in record territory

July 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks edged higher into record territory Wednesday with investor sentiment buoyed by improved company earnings and private deals in Hatton National Bank boosting trading turnover, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 4,857.57, up 1.06 percent (51.14 points) while the more liquid Milanka index rose 0. […]

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