Category: Economy and Markets
BOI enters into supplementary agreement with concrete poles manufacturer
Oct 18, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment signed a supplementary agreement with Senaka Zenn (Private) Limited to set up a project to manufacture pre-stressed spun concrete electrical poles, piles and railway sleepers for both local and export markets. The initial investment made by the Company was 10.3 million US dollars. The Supplementary […]
Sri Lanka to set up Public Debt Management Bureau under Finance Ministry
Oct 17, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet nod has been received to establish a Public Debt Management Bureau under the Finance Ministry with the aim of entrusting the public debt management to a single entity. Accordingly, a five-member Public Debt Management Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Treasury will be appointed to draft […]
Opinion: Cigarette smuggling in Sri Lanka, Hype vs. Reality
By Harini Weerasekera In the run up to elections, Sri Lanka is once again witnessing various news activities highlighting how the government is losing revenue due to increased consumption of illicit cigarettes and beedi. However, the wider government policy on tobacco control is aimed to reduce smoking rates and the related direct and indirect costs […]
LankaPay, JCB International announce commercial roll-out of National card scheme
Oct 16, 2019 (LBO) – LankaClear (Pvt) Limited, the operator of LankaPay, Sri Lanka’s National payment network, together with JCB International Co., Ltd. , the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced the commercial roll-out of National Card Scheme (NCS) programme of Sri Lanka, after successfully completing the pilot stage since the announcement of […]
Hemasiri Fernando retires from Chairmanship of People’s Leasing & Finance
Oct 15, 2019 (LBO) – Former Defence Secretary, Hemasiri Fernando has retired from the office of People’s Leasing & Finance with effect from 12 October 2019. People’s Leasing & Finance said in a stock exchange filing that the Non-Executive Non-Independent Chairman and Director, Hemasiri Fernando had no relevant interest in the shares of the company […]
SEC issues cautionary notice to public on investing in offshore companies
Oct 14, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Securities and Exchange Commission says that it has become aware of a growing number of unsolicited phone calls from persons claiming to be agents of international stock broker firms, offering to facilitate investment in shares of companies traded on offshore jurisdictions with a promise of guaranteed high returns. […]
Growth in SA slows down, Sri Lanka growth to soften to 2.7-pct in 2019: World Bank
Oct 14, 2019 (LBO) – Economic growth in Sri Lanka is expected to soften to 2.7 percent in 2019, says the World Bank in its twice-a-year regional economic update. Supported by recovering investment and exports, as the security challenges and political uncertainty of last year dissipate, Sri Lanka’s growth is , however, projected to reach […]
Sri Lanka business registrations can now be done from home
Oct 11, 2019 (LBO) – Opening a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s private sector development, incorporation of a new company is now possible from the comfort of one’s own home. “Name reservation of companies could be obtained online. Company registrations and incorporations could be done online and there is no need for physical attendance at […]
Sri Lanka official reserves at USD7.6bn by Sept; YTD rupee appreciation 1.3-pct
Oct 11, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves were 7.6 billion US dollars by end September, down from 8.5 billion US dollars in August, latest Central Bank data showed. Gross official reserves in September provide an import cover of 4.5 months. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan rupee remains appreciated against the US dollar by […]
Sri Lanka CB maintains policy rates unchanged
Oct 11, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Monetary Board has decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank at their current levels of 7.00 percent and 8.00 percent, respectively. The Board arrived at this decision following a careful analysis of current and expected […]
CAL surpasses an LKR 100 Bn footprint in Investment Banking
Oct 10, 2019 (LBO) – Capital Alliance (CAL) has continued its reign as the market leader in Investment Banking services (Debt & Equity fundraising and Mergers & Acquisitions) with a transaction footprint of over 100 billion rupees in the past 24 months. With a focus on family businesses since its inception, CAL has been able […]
John Keells Hotels provides Rs. 2.45 bn corporate guarantee to People’s Bank
Oct 09, 2019 (LBO) – John Keells Hotels has given a corporate guarantee for 2.45 billion rupees to People’s Bank, in respect of a long-term loan facility obtained by Ceylon Holiday Resorts Ltd, a subsidiary company. The company said in a stock exchange filing that the said loan facility was obtained by Ceylon Holiday Resorts […]