Axiata Group looks to trim stakes in overseas operations

Sept 14, 2016 (LBO) – Axiata Group Bhd., Malaysia’s biggest mobile-phone operator, is seeking to trim stakes in some of its overseas operations, a report said. The Kuala Lumpur-based company is seeking a buyer for about 11 percent of Indonesian unit PT XL Axiata, which has a market value of 2.2 billion, dollars according to […]

Asian stocks fall to 6-week lows as bond rout intensifies

TOKYO/HONG KONG, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Asian stocks fell to fresh six-week lows on Wednesday and the greenback stood strong against a broad swathe of currencies including the Japanese yen as concerns grew about the fading impact of the world’s major central banks to stimulate growth. Losses in stock markets across Asia deepened as rising […]

Sri Lanka budget deficit to be 4.7-pct in 2017, FinMin tells IMF

Sep 14, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister said that the island plans on reducing the budget deficit to 4.7 percent in 2017. “We had a budget deficit of 6.7 percent of the GDP last year and this year’s target will be 5.4 percent. it will be further reduced to 4.7 percent in 2017,” […]

Sri Lankan rupee trades weaker on importer dollar demand; stocks rise

Sept 13, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee edged down on Tuesday as importer dollar demand surpassed mild selling of the U.S. currency by exporters, dealers said. The spot rupee was trading at 145.40/50 per dollar, down from Friday’s close of 145.25/35 as of 0700 GMT. One-week forwards were at 145.55/65, compared with the […]

Sri Lanka’s cabinet approves VAT increase: State Finance Minister

Sept 13, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved the VAT increase in principle as required by the Supreme Court judgment, State Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said. The Supreme Court issued an interim order in July preventing the government from implementing the 4 percent VAT increase until the consent of the cabinet and […]

GAAM: Weekly foreign inflow of Rs186 mln into stocks

The Guardian Acuity Asset Management weekly report can be downloaded here [pdf-embedder url=”http://lbo-stg.efserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Weekly-Report-GAAM-10-09-16.pdf” title=”weekly-report-gaam-10-09-16″]

Kotagala Plantations to subdivide shares after Rs800mn rights issue

Sept 13, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Kotagala Plantations is to raise 800 million rupees by way of a rights issue, subjected to exchange approval, the company said in a stock exchange filing. The company is to issue and list 80 million new ordinary shares at 10 rupees each in the ratio of two new […]

‘s unemployment 4.2-pct in first quarter 2016

Sep 13, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s unemployed is estimated as 349,686 during the first quarter 2016 and the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent, marginally down from the average 4.6 percent in 2015. According to the latest data the estimated economically active population is about 8.3 million in the first quarter, of which 63.3 percent […]

Sri Lankan exporters showcase at 13th China Asean Expo

Sep 13, 2016 (LBO) – Twenty five Sri Lankan exporters have represented the island at the 13 CAEXPO (China-ASEAN Expo) in Guangxi, China, as a special guest country. “We believe that Sri Lanka can showcase its products to China in a big way at 13th CAEXPO-more importantly it is an opening to ASEAN importers,” Rishad […]

‘s dovish comments

TOKYO, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Asian stocks rose early on Tuesday, boosted as Wall Street rallied overnight after Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard brought relief to risk asset markets by reducing prospects of a near-term interest rate hike. The dollar, on the other hand, nursed losses against its peers after Brainard reiterated her dovish […]

Sri Lanka foreign reserves up USD125mn in August: Central Bank

Sept 12, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s official reserves rose 124.7 million US dollars to 6.6 billion dollars in August, up from 6.5 billion dollars end of July, official Central Bank data showed. Foreign currency reserves were 5.6 billion US dollars, and reserves in Gold were 0.94 billion US dollars. Central Bank has purchased 190.8 […]

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