Category: Economy
World Bank identifies new areas of cooperation in Sri Lanka
Jan 31, 2020 (LBO) – The World Bank and Sri Lanka has identified several new areas of development cooperation in addition to the World Bank-funded existing projects. They are renewable energy, garbage disposal, watershed management, plantation for export, easing traffic congestion and pedestrian and road safety. This understanding has been reached during a discussion that […]
Central Bank expects economic growth to exceed 4-pct this year
Jan 30, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economic growth will exceed 4 percent in 2020 as there has been a notable improvement in business confidence caused by political stability and targeted measures taken by authorities to boost demand, the Central Bank Governor said. “Revival in economic activity & confidence, fiscal measures, and credit relief package, […]
Former COPE Chief wants President to implement law on forensic audit report
Jan 28, 2020 (LBO) – Former Chairman of the COPE Committee, JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti has written to the President requesting that the law be implemented based on the forensic audit report of the Central Bank bond issue. Translated version of the letter: The President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Colombo 01. Your Excellency, […]
Opinion: How technology shapes apparel sector supply chains: Shifting to nearshoring and reshoring
Nipuni Perera Advances in technology have made nearshoring – the practice of shifting production operations to a nearby country closer to the end market – and reshoring – bringing back offshore production back to the home country – more viable for apparel manufacturers, compared to offshoring production to far-away, developing countries. For instance, ‘SewBots’ – […]
Tax changes included in proposed Inland Revenue Amendment Bill
Jan 22, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry announced the list of tax changes introduced in the proposed Inland Revenue Amendment Bill which is to be presented to Parliament for approval. Related: Cabinet nod to amend Inland Revenue Act The complete list of proposed tax amendments: (i). Interest Income (a) Interest paid up to […]
‘s inflation increased to 6.2-pct in December
Jan 22, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year change in the National Consumer Price Index increased to 6.2 percent in December 2019 from 4.1 percent in November 2019. According to the Central Bank, this was driven by monthly increase of prices of items in the Food category along with […]
Cabinet nod to amend Inland Revenue Act; to be presented to Parliament
Jan 21, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers have approved the proposal to amend the Inland Revenue Act to reflect new tax proposals introduced by the government. The proposal has been made by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Finance Minister to fulfill a promise made by the government to […]
Debt moratorium for SMEs, credit negative for banks, unlikely to support economic recovery
Jan 20, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s debt moratorium for SMEs is credit negative for Sri Lankan banks and the sovereign because it risks increasing SMEs’ risk appetite and relaxing their attitude toward debt repayments, Moody’s Investors Service said. In an analysis, the service said that this move, in turn, will undermine banks’ asset quality […]
Trade deficit narrows marginally in Nov with imports, exports declining
Jan 17, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s trade deficit contracted marginally in November 2019 (year-on-year), with both imports and exports declining, the latest Central Bank data showed. The deficit in the trade account declined in November to US dollars 762 million, from US dollars 785 million in November 2018. The trade deficit contracted by US […]
S&P revises Sri Lanka’s outlook to negative; ratings affirmed at ’B/B’
Jan 16, 2020 (LBO) – Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s said it revised its outlook on Sri Lanka’s credit rating to negative from stable, citing increased risks from a deteriorating fiscal position. “Sri Lanka’s fiscal position deteriorated following the Easter Sunday attacks,” S&P said. “Although a recovery is expected, we expect a widening of the […]
World Bank forecasts Sri Lanka’s growth at 3.3-pct in 2020
Jan 14, 2020 (LBO) – The World Bank has forecast Sri Lanka’s economic growth for 2020 at 3.3 percent, the bank said in a statement. In its latest report of “World Bank’s January 2020 Global Economic Prospects,” the World Bank said for 2021 and 2022, it maintains the same forecast of 3.7 percent of economic […]
President requests Japan to invest in high tech assembly plants in Sri Lanka
Jan 13, 2020 (LBO) – Measures will be taken to further strengthen long-standing bilateral relations between Japan and Sri Lanka, Japanese State Minister for Regional Revitalization Kozo Yamamoto said. Minister Yamamoto made these remarks when he paid a courtesy call on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat today (13). Sri Lanka is secured and […]