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Windies too fail to break the World Cup jinx
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – It appears that the best way to win the World Cup is not to host it.The West Indies became the latest prey to the curse of the hosts after failing to qualify for the semi-finals even before they had finished their Super Eights engagements. The hosts will take […]
Ireland leave the world cup on a high note despite Sri Lankan defeat
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Ireland captain Trent Johnston said not even an eight-wicket World Cup defeat by Sri Lanka could erase the memories of the reception his team received after their win against Pakistan.Johnston’s largely amateur side bowed out of their first World Cup tournament by being skittled out for 77 […]
Maharoof gives Sri Lanka semi-final headache
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Seamer Farveez Maharoof gave Sri Lanka a World Cup semi-final selection headache on Wednesday when he claimed four victims in his team’s Super Eights eight-wicket win over Ireland.Maharoof, playing in the side because of an injury to Lasith Malinga while Dilhara Fernando was rested, made a strong […]
‘s Malinga fit for semi-final: Mahela
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jaywardene is confident of having fast bowler Lasith Malinga fit for Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final in Jamaica. Malinga, who has taken 15 wickets at under 15 apiece at the tournament, has missed Sri Lanka’s last three matches after damaging left ankle ligaments. His […]
Sri Lanka media crisis takes international twist
April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s top defence official summoned Britain’s envoy Thursday after he expressed solidarity with an editor facing death threats, diplomats said.Although there is no formal censorship imposed, Sri Lankan authorities prevent journalists from travelling to areas held by the rebels, who are waging a separatist conflict that has killed more […]
Sri Lanka rupee falls to a new low; overnight rates ease
April 19, 2007 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka rupee fell to a new low of 110.50 to the dollar in early trading Thursday dealers said, while short-term interest rates eased. The rupee had ended just short of 110 to the dollar earlier in the month with high rupee interest rates encouraging exporters to convert to […]
Squeezed Through
April 18, 2007 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka Wednesday confirmed Ceylease Financial Services Ltd’s (CFS) national long-term rating at ‘BBB-(lka)’ with a stable outlook, despite worsening solvency.Fitch says there is implied support from state-owned Bank of Ceylon, rated AA (lka), which owns 50 percent of the company. At the end of the 2006 financial year […]
Trishaw Finance
April 18, 2007 (LBO) – A small Sri Lankan finance company to which specializes in funding three-wheeled auto-rickshaws is showing high profitability, Fitch Ratings which assigned the firm a BB+ (lka) rating said Wednesday. About 95 percent of the assets of Trade Finance and Investments (TFI) in the 9-months ending December 2006 was in three-wheeler […]
Merchant Rating
April 18, 2007 (LBO) – Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka, a listed subsidiary of the state-owned Bank of Ceylon, has received a AA3 rating for its proposed 600 million-rupee debenture, Lanka Rating Agency (LRA) said Wednesday. LRA says MBSL’s growth is capped by its funding. “The rating of the proposed debt issue is similar to […]
Different Strokes
April 18, 2007 (LBO) – Fledgling Islamic insurer, Amana Takaful Insurance (ATI), which was listed on the second board of the Colombo bourse last November, has reported a 57 percent growth in premium collections it the audited accounts for 2006. The company’s shares last traded at 31.50 at the close of market in April though […]
Dollar on the ropes against European currencies
TOKYO, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – The dollar languished at a near 15-year low against the British pound and a two-year trough versus the euro in Asian trade Wednesday as the market bet on further hikes in European interest rates, dealers said.The pound sterling firmed to 2.0074 dollars in Tokyo morning trade from 2.0063 in […]
New Zealand dollar hits highest level for quarter century
WELLINGTON , April 18, 2007 (AFP) – The New Zealand dollar hit its highest level against the US currency for 25 years on Wednesday after inflation data reinforced expectations of further interest rate increases. High interest rates have made the New Zealand currency attractive to foreign investors while weakness in the US dollar has also […]