Category: Economy
Sri Lanka delisted by European Commission from list of high risk 3rd countries
May 12, 2020 (LBO) – The European Commission has de-listed Sri Lanka from its list of High Risk Third Countries with Anti- Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Strategic Deficiencies published on May 07, 2020. Since the listing by the FATF, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) together with other stakeholders had taken a […]
EFutures helps Global Vinyl to set up SAP on AWS
Using cloud services can be overwhelming at times especially when your organization has no prior experience utilizing cloud services for any business application deployment beforehand. This article elaborates on how a managed cloud service provider like EFutures Private Limited can ease the transition of business application hosting from on premise to cloud, along with the […]
IMF discusses Sri Lanka’s intention to replace EFF with rapid financing instrument
May 08, 2020 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that they are currently discussing Sri Lanka’s intention to replace the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement that the country had with the rapid financing instrument as the current IMF program is about to be completed. During a press briefing held at the IMF yesterday, […]
Sri Lanka gross official reserves down to USD7.2 bn by end-April
May 07, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves were 7.2 billion US dollars (USD7,179.9mn) by the end of April, down from 7.5 billion US dollars in March, the latest Central Bank data showed. By the end of April, the foreign currency reserves were 6,744.1 million dollars while the reserve position in the IMF […]
CBSL responds to questions asked about concessions granted to businesses
Frequently Asked Questions on concessions granted to COVID -19 hit Businesses including Self-Employment and Individuals
Central Bank of Sri Lanka further reduces policy rates to support economic activity
May 06, 2020 (LBO) – The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at a special meeting held on 06 May 2020, reviewed the current monetary policy stance and decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank by 50 basis points […]
COVID-19: out of chaos comes opportunity. But opportunity must be seized to become reality.
By Jekhan Aruliah Tinned fish to tin houses: in the weeks of the 2020 Corona curfews we frequently saw on television and on Facebook fish in metal tins donated to families in metal huts. The Covid-19 Crisis shone a stark light on the large segment of our population in Sri Lanka living in chronic dire […]
Resumption of civilian life and office work begins from May 11
May 04, 2020 (LBO) – While the curfew is in force in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam, the resumption of civilian life and state and private sector activities will begin from Monday, 11th May, the Presidents office said. In order to ensure return to normalcy in civilian life and to revive the […]
‘s liquidity & external risks: Moody’s
Apr 29, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka (B2 review for downgrade) is facing simultaneous domestic and external shocks amid the global coronavirus outbreak, Moody’s Investors Service said in an issuer in-depth analysis. According to the analysis, capital outflows, marked local currency depreciation, wider risk premia and a further decline in real GDP growth will raise […]
Mangala asks President to re- summon Parliament to approve public expenditure
Apr 29, 2020 (LBO) – Former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has urged him to exercise his powers as the Head of State at this critical time and to summon the Parliament as soon as possible with the support of all parties represented in Parliament. He said that this […]
‘s growth forecast to 1.5-pct in 2020
Apr 28, 2020 (LBO) – Central Bank expects that the real GDP growth in Sri Lanka to decelerated to around 1.5 percent in 2020 before the economy recovers to attain its envisaged potential over the medium term. “The COVID-19 pandemic will adversely impact the progress of the economy during the year, contrary to previous expectations […]
Sri Lanka records a subdued growth of 2.3-pct in 2019: CBSL Annual Report
Apr 28, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lankan economy recorded a subdued growth of 2.3 percent in 2019, compared to the growth of 3.3 percent in 2018, as per the provisional estimates of GDP of the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS). All major sectors of the economy recorded positive, but modest growth rates, releasing its […]