Low Cost Loans

Government has put up Rs. 3 billion to provide low cost housing loans in a bid to raise the levels of house ownership in the country.Specialized housing banks like HDFC and the NDB Housing Bank will lend the government funds.rn rnHousing loans will carry a 10.5 percent annual interest to the end customer. The scheme, […]

SET marries BoC ATMs

Sampath and Bank of Ceylon signed a memorandum of understanding to link their automatic teller machines locallyThe deal will create a combined network of more that 150 machines, which almost doubles the amount of ATMs that customers in each bank, can now access.rn rnThough customers of banks that use the Cirrus network, part of the […]

Lending Long-term

The Central Bank plans to issue a 10-year bond issue in January, as part of its efforts to build a long-term yield curve.Officials from the banks Public Debt Dept.said around Rs. 1 bn will be offered at the initial issue.rn rnThe bond is likely to carry a coupon of about 10 percent, though market players […]

Long-Term Borrowings

The government is planning to issue its first long term bonds next month on the back of low risk interest rates.A ten-year government bond will be auctioned early next month in a move that will almost double the length of the government risk free yield curve.rn rnThe public debt department of the Central Bank is […]

Down the Drain

Central Bank today directed its banking supervision department to liquidate Pramuka, after cancelling its licence. An attempt to revive the suspended bank was put down by the Central Bank as it involved channelling Rs. 600 million of taxpayers money into the venture.rn rnThe Central Bank says the request was dropped as the directors and shareholders […]

Skills Development

The John Keells Groups IT training arm has put together Global Executive Programme for the working professionals who are aspiring to reach great heights in their careers. The John Keells Global Executive Program or JKGEP, is a two-year programme in Information Technology, allows participants to obtain the BTEC HND in Computing which leads to the […]

Home Builders

The Treasury on Wednesday gave a Rs. 3 bn subsidy to local banks, to kick-start the low-middle income-housing segment.Of the Rs. 3 bn loan package, the Treasury is offering up to Rs. 1 bn through the Housing Development Finance Corporation or HDFC. rn rnFurther Rs. 1.5 bn will be channelled through the commercial banks while […]

Local Tie

Sampath and Bank of Ceylon signed a memorandum of understanding to link their automatic teller machines locally, a top official said.The deal will create a combined network of more that 150 machines which almost double the amount of ATMs that customers in each bank can now access.rn rnThough customers of banks that use the Cirrus […]

Caught Out

As regulators continued to probe deeper in to the Pramuka Bank irregularities, a senior bank official was caught red-handed by Central Bank officials on Wednesday allegedly trying to take some vital documents out of the banks premises.Regulators ranging from the Central Bank, the Criminal Investigation Dept, Bribery Commission and Labour Commission are presently combing through […]

Merging Skills

Treasury officials are looking at merging the present Skills Development Fund Ltd with the upcoming Human Resource Endowment Fund that is to be set up next year.The Skills Development was set up over two years ago, as a pilot project to provide human resource training for employers.rn rnIncorporated as a public limited liability company in […]

Colour Guide

In what could lead the way to a common directory for subscribers from all networks, Sri Lanka Telecom today launched its in-house compiled provincial directory – The Rainbow Pages. rnrnProposals in the recent draft interconnection framework calls for a common phone index, initiated by SLT. rn rnAlso proposed is a common online directory database available […]

Close Watch

The governments 20 percent stake in Commercial Bank held through Sri Lanka Insurance Corp. has caught the interest of the International Finance CorpA fact-finding team from the IFCs Washington office were in Colombo recently to carry out due diligence work. Their findings are expected to be presented to the IFC Board sometime next month, Treasury […]

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