Category: Economy and Markets
Comeback Call
The Norwegian government will send a high level team on Saturday to explore possibilities of reviving the stalled peace process.The delegation will include Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Special Envoy Erik Solheim, the Norwegian Embassy said Wednesday.rn rnDuring their stay, the team will meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga and S P Thamilselvan the Political Wing […]
Short Respite
Treasury Bill yields fell by 200 basis points at Wednesdays auction due to excess liquidity in the money market and less pressure on short-term interest rates.The Central Bank offered and accepted bids amounting to Rs.6,743 mn, and retired Rs. 1.5 bn worth of bills. The bank said it received bids worth Rs. 13,038 mn.rn rnYields […]
Water Tight
The US government unveiled its new US$ 50 note on Tuesday designed with enhanced security features to beat counterfeiting.rn rnrn rnThe New US$ 50 billrnrnrn rnThe New US$ 20 billrnUS government officials from the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the United States Secret Service, unveiled the new US$ 50 note design, the […]
Quick Thinking
The Central Bank will raise nine billion rupees worth of shorter maturity bonds next month to ease the current interest rate pressures.The new issues which are re-issued under an existing bond series, mature next March and May, also caters to present market appetite for short-term paper.rn rnThe issue carries a coupon rate of 11.5 percent.rn […]
Back In Business
Norway said that it had conditionally agreed to resume its role as mediator between the government and armed rebels in Sri Lanka, at the request of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. In a statement on Friday, the office of Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik said it would only resume its work if the Tamil Tiger guerrilla […]
Clean Slate
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) says it is ready to work with the Alliance government on a clean slate and support issues in Parliament on a case-by-case basis. The clergy however did not support the governments first test in Parliament in appointing a Speaker yesterday on the claims that two of its members were influenced […]
Halt
The second vote has reportedly come to a standstill as Alliance MPs lounge in the centres of the Chamber in protest to UNP members revealing their vote to party frontliners.Sources say, the UNP MPs action was to reassure Party leaders of their support to their candidate for Speaker.rn rnSources say at one point one Alliance […]
Restart
The second round vote recommenced in Parliament today, after temporarily being help up by Alliance MPs in protest to UNP members revealing their vote to party frontliners.rnSources in Parliament earlier reported that the second vote has come to a standstill as Alliance MPs staged a sit in, in the centres of the Parliament Chamber in […]
Tiebreaker
The UNF candidate for Speaker D J M Lokubandara scraped through to the top seat in parliament after a late evening third round vote. The deadlock was broken by two JHU members who exercised their vote in the eleventh hour to neutralize a controversial move by two of their members to vote for the government […]
Parliament Walk
The situation in Parliament has taken another dramatic turn as some MPs drift away from the Chamber, a little after the second vote recommenced. Sources in Parliament say no decision or the next curse of action has been announced.rn rnIt is understood that some MPs still remain within the Chambers. rn rnThe second round vote […]
Take Three
The vote to appoint a Speaker to the new Parliament just went into a third round, with the second round scrapped due to pandemonium in parliament. The second vote was initially held up when Alliance MPs staged a sit in, in the centres of the Parliament Chamber in protest to UNP members revealing their vote.rn […]
Just Out
The vote to elect the speaker to the new Parliament closed minutes ago, with initial reports indicating the race between the two key candidates was neck and neck. Sources in parliament say the seven Saffron robed ministers abstained from the vote and only the two lquote missing monks voted with the UPFA.rn rnHectic political manoeuvring […]