Equity Deals

Dec 31, 2008 (LBO) – A proposed sale of Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank shares by the Ceylinco group can go ahead under standard rules governing such deals, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. “Under the normal process the sale of shares can take place,” Governor Cabraal said. “Already the trading halt (by the Colombo Stock […]

Shifting Cargo

Dec 31, 2008 (LBO) – Container shipping company American President Line (APL) is to resume calls at Colombo Port’s state-run terminals after an absence of several years, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) officials said. APL, a unit of Singapore’s Neptune Orient Lines, originally called at SLPA terminals. But the line shifted to SAGT when it […]

Sri Lanka repays Citibank, ICIC loans

Dec 31, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has repaid 175 million US dollars in commercial loans, involving Citibank and India’s ICICI Bank, and raised only 150 million dollars in new loans, in 2008, the government’s debt office said.A 100 million US dollar syndicated loan arranged by Citibank in 2005, a balance 25 million US dollar […]

Sri Lanka repays Citibank, ICICI Bank loans

Dec 31, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has repaid 175 million US dollars in commercial loans, involving Citibank and India’s ICICI Bank, and raised only 150 million dollars in new loans, in 2008, the government’s debt office said. A 100 million US dollar syndicated loan arranged by Citibank in 2005, a balance 25 million US […]

Sri Lanka gives incentives to tea, rubber sectors

Dec 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has moved to protect and revive the tea and rubber industries with a host of incentives announced in a wide-ranging economic stimulus package. These measures meet long-standing demand of tea cultivators, especially small farmers, and factory owners. The government will also set up a state trading institution […]

” to maintain growth

Dec 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has announced a ‘stimulus package’ valued at 16 billion rupees to maintain growth at an optimistic 6.0 to 6.5 percent in 2009, with cuts in energy prices and incentives for exporters. “We have been able to maintain a growth rate of 6.0 percent or above in the past […]

Sri Lanka dominates Bangladesh in first Test

DHAKA, December 30, 2008 (AFP) – Bangladesh were struggling at 40-1 in their second innings at lunch on the fourth day Tuesday, chasing an unlikely target of 521 runs to win the opening Test against Sri Lanka. Tamim Iqbal was unbeaten on 24 at the break while Imrul Kayes was run out for 13 after […]

‘s Murali puts Bangladesh in trouble

DHAKA, December 30, 2008 (AFP) – Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed two quick wickets to push Sri Lanka closer to a big victory over Bangladesh on the fourth day of the opening Test here on Tuesday.The off-spinner dismissed Junaid Siddique and Raqibul Hasan in his four overs as Bangladesh struggled to reach 150-4 in their second innings […]

Sri Lanka military receives bodies of 17 soldiers

December 30, 2008 (AFP) – The Sri Lanka military has received the bodies of 17 soldiers killed while fighting Tamil Tiger rebels in the island’s embattled north, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The bodies were sent by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through the International Committee of the Red Cross in the […]

Sri Lanka mulls banning Tigers as fighting escalates

December 30, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government met Tuesday to consider re-imposing a formal ban on the Tamil Tigers as fighting escalated in the island’s north, official sources said.An original ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was lifted in September 2002 ahead of a Norwegian-backed peace process, which collapsed when President […]

Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina wins Bangladesh poll: officia

DHAKA, December 30, 2008 (AFP) – Former Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina Wajed has won a landslide victory in general elections, with her party picking up more than 75 percent of seats, an Election Commission official said Tuesday.Commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP that votes in 295 of the 299 seats had been counted, and Sheikh […]

Sri Lanka tea industry hopes for better prices in January

Dec 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea market is expected to recover somewhat early next year with a long break in the Colombo auctions and production shortfalls in other origins keeping demand buoyant, officials said. The slowdown in tea exports from African origins is also expected to keep demand buoyant. Tea output in Kenya, […]

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