Author: lbostgadmin
Delayed Action
June 29, 2007 (LBO) – Arpico Finance Company Limited has asked for more time to meet the new regulatory capital requirements of the Central Bank, the credit rating agency, Lanka Rating Agency (LRA) said. It said in a statement that it had reaffirmed Arpico Finance’s long- and short-term ratings at BB2 (with a stable outlook) […]
Bruised Wall Street sees more losses as global markets reel
NEW YORK, July 27, 2007 (AFP) – The bruised US stock market slid further Friday as investors retrenched amid fears of a housing slump and a potential credit crunch that led to a massive rout a day earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 208.10 points (1.54 percent) to close at 13,265.47, a day after […]
Toyota to test electric plug-in hybrid Prius cars
SAN FRANCISCO, July 27, 2007 (AFP) – Toyota announced this week a partnership with the University of California to road test two plug-in hybrid cars, a step toward getting the fuel-efficient vehicles to consumers. The study to be launched this fall will be the first time a major automaker puts the experimental cars on US […]
‘s Bajaj in talks with Renault to make small car
NEW DELHI, July 28, 2007 (AFP) – Indian two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto said Saturday it was in talks with French automaker Renault for a business partnership. The two companies issued a statement follows media reports they were close to concluding a deal for Renault’s proposed plans to manufacture a 3,000-dollar car. In it, they said […]
Open Plan
July 28, 2007 (LBO) – An anti-graft action plan developed with the involvement of civil society and state agencies was presented to representatives of Sri Lanka’s judiciary, government and parliament at conference in Colombo Saturday. The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan prepared with funding from the United States Agency for International Development, proposes actions to be […]
No Papers
RIYADH, July 28, 2007 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan minister on Saturday wrapped up a mission to Saudi Arabia aimed at securing clemency for a teenage maid condemned to death, saying he was confident the visit would “bear fruit.” They are a key source of foreign currency for Sri Lanka. A total of 110 people […]
Flu Scare
July 28, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Saturday banned imports of live birds and chickens from India following an outbreak of bird flu in the neighbouring country, an official said. “Sri Lanka has banned imports with immediate effect, after we received reports of an outbreak of bird flu in Manipur, India,” said D.D. Wanasinghe, […]
Sri Lanka™s Bogawantalawa Tea Estates loses money but enters export marketing
July 26, 2007 (LBO) – Bogawantalawa Tea Estates Ltd. has reported loss last year but its marketing subsidiary, about whose viability auditors have raised doubts, has made a breakthrough in overseas markets with contracts to pack teas for private labels. Bogawantalawa Tea Estates reported a group net loss of 121.6 million rupees for the year […]
Deposit Drive
July 28, 2007 (LBO) – People’s Bank is on an aggressive drive to raise deposits this year, with an enhanced target of 30 billion rupees, a top official said. With the re-launch of the bank’s ˜Jayasiri’ low cost mobilisation scheme, People’s Bank is geared to reach the higher target and promote the saving habit in […]
Sri Lanka, Capitalism 2.0, a dead Doha and the new economic order
July 27 (LBO) – Small countries like Sri Lanka would have been better off had world trade talks succeeded as the alternative is bilateral trade deals with stronger, increasingly protectionist economic partners, a top European economist said. Protectionist sentiment was on the rise in established capitalist countries who feel threatened by the emergence of new […]
US new home sales plunge 6.6 percent in June
WASHINGTON, July 26, 2007 (AFP) – Sales of new homes in the United States dropped 6.6 percent in June to an annualized 834,000 units, in a further sign of the persistent slump in the housing sector, the Commerce Department said Thursday. The June number of new home sales, the lowest since March, was significantly below […]