Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lankan rupee ends weaker on importer dollar demand
Nov 01, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee ended weaker on Tuesday due to dollar demand from importers, dealers said, a day after the country’s central bank kept key policy rates steady. Despite the rupee being under downward pressure, the central bank kept its benchmark interest rates on hold late on Monday, as expected, […]
Sri Lanka ranks 31st in Global Youth Development Index
Nov 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has been ranked 31st in the Global Youth Development Index (YDI) 2016 based on a country’s condition for the youth in terms of employment, education, health, civic and political spheres. The YDI is a composite index of 18 indicators that collectively measure multi-dimensional progress on youth development in […]
Sierra starts joint venture in Fiji to manufacture power cables
Nov 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Sierra Cables has decided to jointly invest in a new power cable manufacturing plant in Fiji, the company said in a stock exchange filing. Sierra Cables said it entered the joint venture agreement with three Fijian companies namely Vinod Patel & Co. Ltd, RC Manubhai & Co. Ltd […]
Asia stocks wallow at 6-wk lows, China PMIs in focus; oil down
HONG KONG, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Asian stocks wallowed near six-week lows on Tuesday as investors braced for a looming raft of economic and central bank events, while oil prices fell as markets doubted OPEC’s ability to implement planned production cuts. Market anxiety deepened in recent sessions after the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday […]
Sri Lanka Central Bank keeps rates steady ahead of budget
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank on Monday decided to keep its key interest rates steady, a few days ahead of the national budget. Accordingly, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate and the Standing Lending Facility Rate of the Central Bank will be maintained at 7.00 percent and 8.50 percent, respectively. Monetary Policy […]
Sri Lanka’s CCPI inflation up 0.3 pct points in Oct 2016
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo accelerated 4.2 percent in October 2016 from a year earlier, up from 3.9 percent in September, the state statistics office data showed. Inflation of the food group increased from 5.5 percent in September to 6.0 percent in October while that of non-food group […]
Sri Lankan rupee weaker; remittances prevent steeper fall
Oct 31, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee traded weaker on Monday due to importer dollar demand, but the month-end inward remittances capped the fall, dealers said. Rupee forwards were active, with one-week forwards trading slightly weaker at 148.30/40 per dollar compared with Friday’s close of 148.25/30. “The month-end inward remittances are there, but […]
Sri Lanka seeks to boost capital markets, draw FDI : OBG
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Government commitments to step up privatisation, repair its balance sheet and encourage more listings should help broaden the base of Sri Lanka’s capital markets and draw stronger flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the economy, the Oxford Business Group said. In April the Sri Lankan government brokered a $1.5bn […]
Excerpts of Sri Lanka COPE recommendations on bond issue
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Committee on Public Enterprises has made several recommendations to Parliament on last year’s controversial bond issue. Excerpts of the recommendations, as published by the Sunday Times, are the following: Evidence has been placed before the COPE, which gives rise to reasonable suspicion that former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran […]
Government will bring a people’s Budget: Ravi Karunanayake
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s budget for 2017 on Nov 10 will be a people’s budget as it would incorporate ideas proposed from all corners of the country, the Finance Minister said in a statement. “The Ministry of Finance has already received over 2200 proposals from the people. This also includes proposals from […]
Asia stocks stutter as FBI probe of Clinton jolts markets
SINGAPORE, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Asian stocks got off to a shaky start on Monday after a renewed FBI probe of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server sparked fresh tumult in markets, just days before the Nov. 8 presidential vote. The Japanese yen, seen as a safe-haven in times […]
‘s moral suasion caps fall
Oct 28, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee traded weaker on Thursday with the central bank raising the spot reference rate by 50 cents as higher importer dollar demand weighed on the currency, dealers said. However, moral suasion by the central bank prevented a steeper fall, they added. The central bank raised the spot […]