Category: Economy and Markets
First Capital Money Market Fund – fastest to reach LKR 20bn in assets under management
The First Capital Money Market Fund has been the fastest fund in its category (Open-Ended Money Market Fund) to surpassed LKR 20 billion in Assets Under Management. The fund is managed by First Capital Asset Management Limited the wealth management arm and subsidiary of First Capital Holdings PLC (the Group). The Fund is the best […]
RPCs urge priority for worker vaccination ahead of new wave of COVID cases
The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) called on Government and Public Health officials to ensure that estate-sector workers made a top priority in the COVID-19 vaccination drive, given their essential contributions to the national economy. In a backdrop where COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise both locally and globally, while preparations are already […]
Sri Lanka rupee strengthened against the US dollar
The Sri Lanka rupee further strengthened against the US dollar yesterday, on positive outlook for inflows. The selling rate was quoted at 191.97 rupees for a US dollar, as against 201.28 rupees on Friday and a peak of 204.62 rupees last week. The indicative dollar spot exchange rate was 194.44 rupees yesterday as against 199.93 rupees […]
Sri Lanka vehicle registrations down in March 2021
Total vehicle registrations marginally reduced to 3,556 units in March down from 3,558 units in Feb but significantly down from 13,219 units 12 months ago. The comparative figure was 35,150 units 24 months ago. In the locally assembled category Under cars Zotye Z100 recorded 22 units in March down from 79 units in Feb and […]
Colombo Port City – Projecting SL as newest commercial landscape in Asia
Veemansa Initiative, an independent think tank recently held a Webinar on the proposed Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill and related subjects. Based on the deliberations at the webinar and the follow-up analysis, it was evident that the Colombo Port City Project, a 100% foreign investment venture plans to attract a diverse group of secondary […]
Sri Lanka Investment Forum to feature over 50 projects & corporate investment opportunities
Themed “Sri Lanka – Asia’s Next Growth Haven”, the Sri Lanka Investment Forum (SLIF) 2021 jointly organized by the Board of Investments (BOI), The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Colombo Stock Exchange will kick off on the 7th of June 2021 on a virtual platform. SLIF 2021 will showcase to the world, Sri Lanka’s […]
Greater flexibility to Licensed Finance Companies to raise funds from foreign sources
The Monetary Board of the Central Bank has issued new directions on foreign currency borrowings by Licensed Finance Companies (LFCs) with a view to provide flexibility for LFCs to obtain low-cost funding from foreign sources to support their business expansions. The objectives of these directions are to stabilise any financial volatilities created by the foreign […]
Central Bank reduces exporter proceeds conversion rule to 10-pct
The Central Bank, having considered the requests made by exporters has amended Rule No. 2 of 2021 by reducing the percentage of mandatory conversion requirement of export proceeds of goods into Sri Lankan Rupees from twenty-five (25) percent to ten (10) percent. The Bank has also extended the number of days given to exporters to […]
B2B meeting to boost Sri Lankan exports of fruits & vegetables to Oman
Sri Lanka Embassy in Oman jointly with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, organised a virtual B2B meeting between Carrefour Oman and eight prominent Sri Lankan fruits and vegetables exporter companies, to boost Sri Lankan exports of varieties of fruits and vegetables to Carrefour Oman hypermarket chain which has more than 12 outlets in the […]
ADB should ramp up efforts to mitigate COVID-19 impact on SDGs: independent evaluation
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in partnership with other development organizations, must give high priority to efforts to assess and address the implications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the 2021 Annual Evaluation Review (AER) conducted by ADB’s Independent Evaluation Department (IED). The report […]
Market capitalization of Colombo Stock Exchange increases by MoM 6.4-pct
Forex Market The USD/LKR TT buying and selling exchange rates on 12th April 2021 were marked at LKR 199.15 and LKR 203.73 respectively. The indicative USD spot exchange rate that depicts the average rate of all USD/LKR spot transactions that were executed throughout the previous business day in the local inter-bank foreign exchange market was […]
China Development Bank signs USD 500Mn Financing Facility Agreement with Sri Lanka
China Development Bank (CDB) and Sri Lankan Finance Ministry on Monday signed USD 500 Million Foreign Currency Term Financing Facility (FTFF), which is the second tranche of the total RMB 2 billion plus USD 1 billion FTFF supported by the Chinese side to Sri Lanka after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in March, the […]