Category: Economy
South Asian economies bounce back but face fragile recovery: World Bank
Prospects of an economic rebound in South Asia are firming up as growth is set to increase by 7.2 percent in 2021 and 4.4 percent in 2022, climbing from historic lows in 2020 and putting the region on a path to recovery. But growth is uneven and economic activity well below pre-COVID-19 estimates, as many […]
Vietnam to support investment and trade promotion in Sri Lanka
The newly appointed Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ho Thi Thanh Truc to Sri Lanka presented her credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Palace yesterday (30). President Rajapaksa and the new Vietnamese Ambassador thereafter exchanged views on the current status of bilateral relations and the development of future cooperation between the […]
Governors and District Sec are responsible for regional development process: President
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasizes that the Governors and District Secretaries should take the lead in the regional development process. It is the objective of the Government to see that the people from the villages reap the benefits of development expeditiously. He says that this process could not be delayed under any circumstance and that the […]
Sri Lankan economy is steadily progressing as displayed in latest economic indicators: CBSL
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank says that the economy is steadily progressing as displayed in the latest economic indicators even though the second wave of COVID 19 posed a setback. Releasing a slideshow with the latest economic indicators, the Bank said that enhanced foreign exchange earnings and increased investment inflows are expected to assist Sri Lanka […]
Sri Lanka’s export earnings grew by 2.5-pct in February
Sri Lanka’s export earnings registered a growth of 2.52% with US$ 993.73 Mn in February, compared to the previous year, maintaining the growth momentum recorded during the last five months as per the provisional statistics released by Sri Lanka Customs. This is the highest export figure recorded for the month of February during the last […]
Central Bank increases maximum compensation under deposit insurance scheme by Rs.500,000
The Monetary Board of the Central Bank has decided to increase the maximum compensation payment under the Sri Lanka Deposit Insurance and Liquidity Support Scheme (SLDILSS) from Rs.600,000 to Rs.1,100,000, by Rs.500,000. This decision has been taken to provide further relief to the depositors of financial institutions regulated by CBSL in the event of a […]
Increasing production and income only answer to cost of living problem: President
“The only answer to the problem of cost of living is to increase production and income received by the people. Price of imported goods is determined by the world market forces. Their prices could only be regulated by reducing taxes. 17 crops that could be grown locally were identified and they have been barred from […]
Asia Securities reiterates view of no sovereign default; swap conclusion a confidence booster
In a report issued today, the research arm of leading independent Investment Banking firm Asia Securities, reiterated that it does not see a risk of sovereign default at this point. The eagerly anticipated announcement of the USD 1.5bn currency swap agreement with China this week is expected to provide a significant boost to local and […]
‘s developments including USD1.5bn currency swap with China: IMF
International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that they continue to closely monitor economic policy and financial developments in Sri Lanka including the recent agreement on a swap line with the People’s Bank of China for $1.5 billion. Speaking at the IMF press briefing, Gerry Rice of the Communications Department said that the assessment for emergency financial […]
‘s earnings from exports reached USD 908Mn in January
As per the Customs statistics, earnings from merchandise exports recorded a negative growth of 9.64% in January 2021 with US$ 908.07 Mn compared to US$ 1,004.9 Mn recorded in January 2020. The exports which started to grow since last July continued the positive performance till September 2020 with minor contractions with reduced figures from October […]
Central Bank & IFC launch Sri Lanka’s first National Financial Inclusion Strategy
Sri Lanka’s first National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), launched today, aims to make financial services more accessible, efficient, and affordable for all households and businesses in the country. The NFIS is a joint effort led by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka—with technical and financial assistance from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group—under […]
Laws still restrict women’s economic opportunities despite progress: Study
Countries are inching toward greater gender equality, but women around the world continue to face laws and regulations that restrict their economic opportunity, with the COVID-19 pandemic creating new challenges to their health, safety, and economic security, a new World Bank report says. Reforms to remove obstacles to women’s economic inclusion have been slow in […]