Category: Economy

Apr 22, 2020 (LBO) – Excess liquidity in Sri Lanka’s money markets were high and base money was growing faster since the last quarter, but the Central Bank will ‘closely monitor’ changes and take action if needed, the monetary authority said. “Reserve money has been expanding at a higher rate since the last quarter of […]

Apr 22, 2010 (LBO) – Two mini-hydro power plants and new hotels and hotel refurbishment are among several investments approved by Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency, a statement said. The Board of Investment (BOI) said it has approved and signed agreements for eight new investments worth 20 million US dollars that will create 500 job […]

Apr 20, 2010 (LBO) – Post-war Sri Lanka’s main priorities in accelerating economic growth would be to rein in ballooning budget deficits and inflation, the Asian Development Bank said. The government is expected to introduce reforms to broaden the tax base and reduce tax exemptions in the 2011 budget in order to increase revenue, said […]

Apr 20, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state enterprises should be fixed as an “urgent policy priority” with a “strong reform programme” the island’s central bank said as seven state entities lost nearly 50 billion rupees in 2009 which is equal to one percent of gross domestic product. Losses in state enterprises and borrowing from […]

Apr 20, 2010 (LBO) – The US Agency for International Development has tied up with Sri Lanka’s private sector to support new businesses in the former war zone that will generate employment, the aid agency said. The USAID Public-Private Partnerships for Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka Program is expected to create the equivalent of 5,000 […]

Apr 18, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run railways lost 4,768 million rupees in 2009 up 4. 7 percent from the a year earlier, which was more than its annual revenues, while carrying lower volumes of cargo and passengers, the latest official data shows. Sri Lanka Railways operated 4,568 million passenger kilometres in 2009, down […]

Apr 16, 2010 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank said it will give Sri Lanka a 50 million US dollar loan to improve government revenue management, including tax collection, and state spending on infrastructure and the poor. It said in a statement that the ADB and Japan will support Sri Lanka with fiscal reforms to […]

Apr 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has made a record 33 billion rupee profit in 2009 as low yielding foreign reserves were lost and replaced with higher yielding domestic government paper during a balance of payments crisis. Even then yields on dollar and euro assets were also low. The central bank also […]

Apr 16, 2010 (LBO) – Prime property in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo could be made available to private developers when the government goes ahead with a planned shift of state institutions, including defence, to the suburbs, officials said. “We’re waiting for the green light,” said an official of the Urban Development Authority, which is in […]

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2010 (AFP) – Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke warned on Wednesday the US economy will recover at a “moderate” pace and that significant time will be needed to claw back jobs lost in the recession. In cautious remarks that belied Wall Street’s gathering optimism, Bernanke cautioned that the US economy continued to […]

Apr 15, 2010 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it is providing 150 million US dollars in an emergency loan to Sri Lanka for projects to help people in the war-ravaged north and east. The loan will have a 32-year repayment term, including a grace period of eight years and an annual interest […]

April 14, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs a price formula to match import costs to retail prices as a part of a reform of the energy sector, the Central Bank said as the state petroleum utility lost 12. 3 billion rupees in 2009. “A realistic pricing formula needs to be developed to price petroleum […]