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FitsAir Launches Direct Flights from Colombo to Dhaka, Bangladesh
FitsAir, Sri Lanka’s low-cost airline, is pleased to announce the launch of direct flights connecting Colombo and Dhaka, Bangladesh in April 2024. This move represents a significant milestone in regional aviation, addressing the growing demand for affordable travel options between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In light of Bangladesh’s rapidly expanding economy, attracting considerable interest from […]
Commercial Bank integrates an AI-powered Assistant to their Annual Report 2023
March 5, 2024, will go down as a red-letter day for the world’s investor relations community. On this day, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, headquartered in Sri Lanka, integrated an AI-powered Annual Report Assistant (AIPARA) to their Annual Report 2023. It is probably the first of its kind. This innovation addresses a perennial issue and […]
IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on the Second Review of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility
IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the second review of the 4-year EFF-supported program and the 2024 Article IV Consultation. Once the review is approved by IMF Management and completed by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to SDR 254 million (about […]
Microsoft joins hands with Sri Lanka in its journey to becoming unstoppable with AI
In a bid to strengthen commitment and partnership towards the South Asia region, Puneet Chandok, the President of Microsoft India and South Asia, made his inaugural visit to Sri Lanka in March 2024, since taking office in September 2023. Building on the two-decade journey of empowering the people of Sri Lanka through Cloud and AI […]
”’; Outlook stable
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka-based telecom company Dialog Axiata PLC’s National Long-Term Rating at ‘AAA(lka) with a Stable Outlook. This reflects our view that Dialog can maintain a credit profile commensurate with a ‘AAA(lka)’ rating in the next 12-18 months, despite slower revenue growth, escalated costs and likely slight higher leverage. Dialog’s rating is […]
Powering the future: Innovations driving electric vehicle revolution
New Energy Vehicles (NEV) are no longer a futuristic vision; they’re rapidly transforming the automotive landscape. This shift wouldn’t be possible without ground-breaking innovations that have addressed key challenges and made NEVs more efficient, safer, and sustainable. Leading the charge in these advancements is BYD, a company proving that electric mobility is not just feasible […]
Opinion: Tax-payers receive bill for SriLankan’s colossal losses: Advocata
The Minister of Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, recently announced that the Government would take over 210 million in dollar loans and 41.4 billion in rupee loans borrowed by Sri Lankan Airlines from state-owned Bank of Ceylon and Peoples’ Bank. Sri Lankan Airlines is bankrupt. No buyer will be prepared to take on both a […]
SJB Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne resigns from COPE
COPE has been established to ensure the observance of financial discipline in Public Corporations and other Semi Governmental bodies in which the Government has a financial stake. By appointing a ruling party member as its Chairman, the committee fails to meet its objectives of keeping a check on the executive arm of the government. To […]
First LNG powered vessel calls at Hambantota International Port
The first LNG battery hybrid powered RORO vessel berthed at the Hambantota International Port (HIP) for the discharge of construction machinery and equipment (high and heavy vehicles including airport buses, mobile cranes, etc.). The transshipment cargo is destined for Dammam and Maldives. The Jasmine Leader of NYK Line, which arrived at HIP in the first […]
Ceylon Chamber calls for collaborative solutions on debt recovery framework
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is deeply concerned about the decision by the Cabinet of Ministers to temporarily suspend the parate execution law. While we understand that certain businesses essentially in the SME sector need to be supported in the current economic climate, providing that support in the form of curtailing credit recovery measures is […]
World Growth Outlook Improves, but Inflation Is Showing Persistence: Fitch Ratings
Near-term world growth prospects have improved and Fitch Ratings has raised its 2024 global GDP growth forecast by 0.3pp to 2.4% in its latest Global Economic Outlook (GEO) published today. This reflects a sharp upward revision to the US growth forecast to 2.1%, from 1.2% in the December 2023 GEO. The revision to the US […]
Selection Process for New IMF Managing Director Begins
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has initiated the selection process for its next Managing Director. The announcement was made by the Board Coordinators, Afonso S. Bevilaqua and Abdullah F. BinZarah. The Executive Board has decided to follow an open, merit-based, and transparent process for the selection, mirroring the procedure used in […]