Category: Economy
Sri Lanka official reserves improve to USD7.6bn by end December
Jan 09, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves were 7,638.5 million US dollars by the end of December last year, up from 7,520.4 million US dollars in November, the latest Central Bank data showed. By the end of December, the foreign currency reserves were 6,609.1 million dollars while the reserve position in the […]
Sri Lanka achieves 1.9Mn revised tourists arrival target for 2019: SLTDA
Jan 07, 2020 (LBO) – Despite 2019 being a tough year for the tourism industry, Sri Lanka has achieved the revised tourists’ arrival target for 2019 which stands at 1,913,702 as of 31st December. It is a decline of 18 percent from 2018 when 2,333,796 of tourists had visited the country during the same period, […]
‘s new Banking Act to facilitate banks in Colombo Intl. Financial Centre
Jan 06, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has initiated drafting a new Banking Act and expects to complete its enactment in 2021. The new Banking Act will contain provisions to extend regulations for banks, which are to be established in the Colombo International Financial Centre. Key concepts of the proposed Act include provisions […]
‘s Central Bank to maintain inflation within 4 to 6-pct
Jan 06, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank expects to maintain inflation within a range of 4-6 percent through a transparent, coherent, and accountable monetary policy framework going forward. Announcing the road map of the Central Bank for this year, Governor W D Lakshman highlighted that maintaining inflation at stable levels would help improve […]
CB Chief urges Sri Lanka banks to rethink its credit disbursement policies
Jan 06, 2020 (LBO) – Central Bank Governor Professor W D Lakshman urged Sri Lanka’s banking sector to rethink its credit disbursement policies, as the traditional ‘risk averse’ mindset has deprived emerging entrepreneurs and new ventures of much needed initial capital. Announcing the road map of the Central Bank for this year, Lakshman said credit […]
‘Manufacturing in 2020: Connecting machines to networks and companies to end-consumers’
Antony Bourne – President- IFS Industries While change is buffeting the industrial manufacturing industry from a number of directions, the most disruptive changes will be those which manufacturers can and should make for themselves. Many of these manufacturers are already taking advantage of technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and as we head into […]
Sri Lanka bans Ethanol importation for liquor production
Jan 01, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and Planning has decided to suspend the importation of Ethanol from other countries. The Finance Ministry said the import of Ethanol for liquor production will be suspended from today (1st January) on the directives of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance. This […]
IRD issues circular to banks about new Withholding Tax structure
Jan 01, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Inland Revenue Department has issued a new circular to banks and financial institutions detailing the new Withholding Tax structure which will be effective from today to 31 March 2020. According to the circular, for the period from today to 31 March, aggregate interest income from all the accounts […]
First Capital Research trims down its rate cut probability to 50-pct
Dec 24, 2019 (LBO) – Considering the recent major policy changes, First Capital Research has trimmed down its rate cut probability to 50 percent from the previous expectation of 100 percent probability, specifically due to the tax benefits, moratorium on loans and easing of capital adequacy to stimulate the consumer demand and revive growth in […]
‘s Central Bank
Dec 24, 2019 (LBO) – Professor W D Lakshman has been appointed as the new Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka. An official at the Central Bank told LBO that he assumed duties as the Governor of Central Bank today morning. Deshamanya Weligamage Don Lakshman commonly known as W D Lakshman is a Sri […]
Sri Lanka nationwide inflation decreased in November
Dec 24, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year change in the National Consumer Price Index decreased to 4.1 percent in November from 5.6 percent in October contributed by the statistical effect of the high base prevailed in October 2018. According to the Statistics Department, Year-on-year food inflation has decreased […]
CA Sri Lanka, CMA & SAFA launches Digital Competency Maturity Model for SMPs
Dec 23, 2019 (LBO) – With digitization expected to have profound implications on Small and Medium-Sized Practices (SMPs), the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) together with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) and the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka (CMA Sri Lanka) launched the Digital Competency […]