Category: Economy
Sri Lanka must plug into global production networks: Harsha de Silva
Aug 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to get into the game of global production networks and needs to treat trade agreements seriously, a government minister said. Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva outlined Sri Lanka’s future path as a trading nation at a panel discussion organized by the Young Professionals Organization of UNP. […]
Sri Lankan reforms aims to simplify tax, increase base, compliance: Minister
Aug 24, 2016 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new government is drafting reforms aimed at simplifying taxes, widening the tax base and increasing compliance, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said on Wednesday. “The reforms are aimed at more simplified taxes, bigger tax base, and higher compliance,” he said in an interview with Reuters. The International Monetary Fund […]
Markets recover post Brexit, but political uncertainty remains
Aug 24, 2016 (LBO) – U.K. retail sales data have posted a positive outcome post-Brexit supporting markets even though some political uncertainty remains. From the FTSE’s low of 5,806 points immediately after the Brexit vote, the index has rallied some 18.38 percent. Other European indexes and the STOXX 600 have also recovered, with the STOXX […]
Chinese bank to set up South Asian branch in Sri Lanka: PM
Aug 23, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today that a Chinese bank has agreed to set up their South Asian branch here in Sri Lanka. “China agreed to set up the branch here in Colombo at the proposed financial city,” Wickremesinghe said. Prime Minister said the concept paper and […]
Sri Lanka nation wide inflation declines to 5.8-pct in July 2016
Aug 22, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices as measured by National Consumer Price Index declined to 5.8 percent in July from the 6.4 percent inflation reported a month earlier on yearly basis, data from the state statistics office showed. In July, contribution to the inflation from food group and non-food group are 3.0 […]
Correction: Fitch downgrades NDB, affirms 8 banks, revises outlook on DFCC, Sampath
(Correction: This announcement replaces the version published on 22 June 2016 to correct the Support Rating of DFCC Bank PLC to ‘5’ instead of ‘4’ and the rating action on the Support Rating to “downgrade” instead of “affirmed”) Aug 19, 2016 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings says it has downgraded Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank PLC’s […]
Sri Lanka’s tax collection up by Rs100bn in 1H 2016
Aug 18, 2016 (LBO) – Tax revenue in Sri Lanka’s government has increased by 100 billion rupees for the first half of this year, co-cabinet spokesman Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka said. Karunathilaka said Finance Minister has informed the cabinet that the total tax revenue has increased by about 20 percent in the first six months. Tax […]
Ceylon Chamber calls for private sector input on FTAs
Aug 18, 2016 (LBO) – With the Sri Lankan government working towards a series of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has called for companies to submit substantive inputs on trade policy matters. With these inputs the private sector can “strengthen its representations with trade negotiators,” the Ceylon Chamber said in a […]
Poll at Economic Summit: strong support for PPPs; freeing up trade
Aug 15, 2016 (LBO) – Participants at the recently concluded Sri Lanka Economic Summit are optimistic about the government’s ability to deliver economic results in the next four years, but are critical of the progress made so far and have mixed views about Budget 2017, according to a survey conducted at the event. The Ceylon […]
Sri Lanka sovereign yield falls to 5.57 pct, strong foreign interest
Aug 15, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s 10-year sovereign bond yield dropped to 5.57 percent on Monday from initial coupon of 6.825 percent indicating strong demand from international investors for emerging market bonds. The 5-year sovereign issue has similarly fallen to 4.75 percent from 5.75 percent, with ICBC Standard Bank and Mashreq Bank of Qater […]
Indian officials to visit in two weeks for ETCA talks
Aug 15, 2016 (LBO) – A delegation from India is due to arrive in Sri Lanka within the next few weeks for discussions on the proposed Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA). The Deputy High Commissioner for India to Sri Lanka Arindam Bagchi said this at the Sri Lanka PLAST 2016 Expo held at the […]
Sri Lanka blocks sale of freehold land in USD1.4 bln Chinese deal
Aug 15, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government on Friday agreed a new version of its $1.4 billion real estate agreement with China after changing the terms and blocking the outright sale of land – part of a project covering a square mile right next to the capital’s port, Reuters reported. Since coming to power […]