Author: lbostgadmin
Home Loans
August 28, 2007 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has confirmed the AA (lka) rating on HDFC Bank Series A mortgage backed securities, the rating agency said. The rating relates to the timely payment of interest and the ultimate payment of principal on Series-A certificates issued by the Home Loan Securitisation Trust 2005 (HLST), a special […]
Better Defence
August 28, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan security authorities plan to re-open Colombo port’s northern entrance for navigation once underwater defence systems being tested are installed and activated. The planned re-opening will remove a key constraint that has caused lengthy delays for cargo ships and raised costs for both shipping lines and port terminals. The […]
Normal Light
August 27, 2007 (LBO) – The powerful engineers union of Sri Lanka’s state-owned electricity utility has temporarily suspended industrial action started last week, following talks with senior government officials. Secretaries to the President, the treasury and energy and the CEB chairman met the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) Sunday after a work-to-rule campaign began […]
Nine rebels killed in Sri Lanka clashes: military
Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – At least nine Tamil Tiger rebels were killed and five government soldiers wounded in weekend battles in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Monday.The nine members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were killed in northwestern Mannar district, the ministry said in a statement. Army troops also […]
Yahoo rolls out enhanced e-mail service
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 26, 2007 (AFP) – US Internet titan Yahoo on Monday is introducing an upgraded free e-mail service with enhancements that include letting people send text messages from computers to mobile telephones.The improved Yahoo! Mail being rolled out around the world in the coming weeks is the most extensive overhaul of the web-based […]
Japanese shares up 1.06 percent in morning
TOKYO, Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – Japanese share prices rose 1.06 percent in morning trade Monday with sentiment boosted by solid gains on Wall Street last week as fears eased over a credit crunch, dealers said. The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index of leading shares was up 172.92 points at 16,421.89 at the lunch […]
Auction of first A380 seats set to begin on Singapore
SINGAPORE, Aug 24, 2007 (AFP) – An online auction for seats on the first commercial flight of the super jumbo Airbus A380, between Singapore and Sydney, was to begin Monday night, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson said.“The auction proper will start at 8:00 (pm),” or 1200 GMT, the spokesperson told AFP. Seats are being offered for […]
SriLankan Airlines takes Etihad passengers in codeshare deal
Aug 27, 2007 (LBO) – Despite canceling flights to Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi based carrier Etihad plans to stay back through a services agreement with SriLankan Airlines, officials said Monday. The Dubai based airline more than doubled its network during the last two years making Etihad one of the fastest growing airlines. The open-ended ‘codeshare’ […]
Holy Film
MUMBAI, Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – An historical epic is to be filmed about the life and teachings of the Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, a South Asian production team said Monday. “The message of the movie gives answers to global crises of conflict and environmental problems,” Navin Gooneratne, the chairman of the Light […]
Ouch!
Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) – A colony of wasps attacked over 250 tourists on Monday at a fifth-century rock fortress in Sri Lanka causing a stampede, police said. At least 85 people were hospitalised while others were given first aid following the incident at the foot of the 180-metre (600-foot) fortress of Sigiriya. The Sigiriya […]
‘s Hapugastenne estate profit soars on high tea prices, asset sales
August 27, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hapugastenne Plantations said net profit for the June quarter shot up 472 percent to 170 million rupees with the bottom line being boosted by high low grown tea prices and profit from asset sales. Revenue for the quarter was up 39 percent to 705 million rupees, according to […]
Sri Lanka forex market uncertainty returns; no two way quotes yet
August 27, 2007 (LBO) – Expectations that two-way quotes would resume and exporters would start selling in Sri Lanka’s forex markets were dashed early Monday after official interventions spread unease among dealers.Banks stopped quoting two-way in the interbank forex market after the central bank started intervening and terrorizing dealers a few weeks ago. Heavy central […]