Author: lbostgadmin
‘s central bank unleashes new rate hike as inflation bites
MUMBAI, June 24, 2008 (AFP) – India’s central bank unleashed a fresh round of monetary tightening Tuesday, raising its key short-term lending rate by half-a-percentage point after inflation hit a 13-year high of over 11 percent. The Reserve Bank of India raised its repo rate at which commercial banks borrow funds from the central bank […]
India, China, Brazil show sharpest growth in millionaires: study
PARIS, June 24, 2008 (AFP) – The number of millionaires worldwide rose 6.0 percent last year to 10.1 million, with the sharpest gains recorded in emerging market powerhouses India, China and Brazil, a study revealed Tuesday.The 12th annual World Wealth Report, prepared by US investment bank Merrill Lynch and information technology group Capgemini, highlighted the […]
Spiraling gas prices force US schoolchildren to hoof it
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2008 (AFP) – US school children will face longer walks to the bus stop, longer days and shorter weeks at school, while university students are pushed to take online courses, all thanks to relentless spiraling fuel prices. Several counties in the central-eastern state of Maryland are considering giving their yellow school buses […]
Nissan to raise car prices as material costs soar: CEO
YOKOHAMA, June 25, 2008 (AFP) – Soaring raw material costs pose a major challenge to automakers, which have no choice but to raise vehicle prices, Nissan Motor Co.chief executive Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday. The surging prices of steel and other materials are the “single most important challenge facing the industry and facing Nissan,” Ghosn said […]
World economy set to grow 4.0 pct in 2008: French bank governor
PARIS, June 25, 2008 (AFP) – The world economy is likely to grow by about 4.0 percent this year and the United States should avoid a recession, the governor of the Bank of France Christian Noyer said on Wednesday. Noyer, who is also a member of the monetary policy council of the European Central Bank, […]
EU panel backs plans against hidden charges in air fares
BRUSSELS, June 25, 2008 (AFP) – A panel of EU lawmakers approved European plans requiring that air fares clearly include all extra charges so passengers know exactly what they are paying.In the crackdown on hidden expenses, all air fares would have to include all taxes, fees and charges on top of the basic ticket price […]
Consumers set to pay for new cargo security laws: US customs
BRUSSELS, June 25, 2008 (AFP) – US consumers could be hit hard by new security laws demanding that all cargo containers bound for the United States be scanned for radiation or weapons, a senior US customs official said.The measures, which Congress has demanded must enter force in 2012, will oblige countries to scan every one […]
Sri Lanka stages international gem show to entice buyers
June 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s international gem and jewellery trade show ‘Facets Sri Lanka’, a key annual event that helps increase the island’s gem exports, is to be held in September this year, its organizers said. A new feature at this year’s show will be competitions to recognize the best gem cutter, best […]
Sri Lankan Airlines adds flights to Middle East
June 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan Airlines, the island’s national carrier, said it has increased flights to the Middle East to support government moves to attract more tourists from the region. The state-owned airline said in a statement that weekly flights to the city of Doha had been increased to six from four previously, […]
Sri Lanka says land captured from Tamil Tigers
June 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s defence ministry said Wednesday that its forces have made some territorial progress in fighting with the Tamil Tigers that it said killed at least 10 guerrillas.Security forces took a three square kilometre (1.15 square miles) area in the district of Mannar on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that […]
Sri Lanka US embassy closed after “suspicious powder” found
June 25, 2008 (LBO) – The United States embassy in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo was closed Wednesday after a “suspicious powder” was found, the embassy said in a statement. All visa appointments and routine American citizen services will be postponed until the incident is resolved, it said. It said the suspicious substance will be […]
‘s Dhammika Perera buys more Hayleys
June 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed flat Wednesday with Dhammika Perera’s Vallibel group buying more Hayleys shares and further increasing their stake in the conglomerate to 14.74 percent, brokers said. The overall market was barely changed with the All Share Price Index down 0.06 percent (1.41 points) to end at 2,479.92 while […]