Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka foreign reserves USD6.4 bln in July: CB official
July 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s official reserves were 6.4 billion US dollars at the end of July, up from 5.27 billion US dollars at the end of June, a central bank official said on Friday. Reserves were boosted by a dual-tranche sovereign bond offering this month of 500 million dollars through 5.5-year sovereign […]
‘s rate hike partly due to fiscal slippage on VAT: Coomaraswamy
July 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s 50 basis point rate hike on Thursday was partly due to fiscal slippage arising from a delay in hiking the value added tax, Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy said. Sri Lanka budgeted for a two percentage points of GDP reduction in the budget deficit this year, but delays to a […]
Textured Jersey Lanka net up 93-pct to Rs399 mln in quarter
Press Release: The TJL Group (TJ) has reported eight straight quarters of strong quarterly profit growth. The Q1 2016/17 performance has proved to be the Group’s best first quarter recorded to date, posting a consolidated net profit of Rs. 399 Million, representing a YoY growth of 93 percent. The Group has made significant progress in […]
No more debate on monorail vs. LRT, Japan confirms funding
Jul 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government confirmed that the Japanese government will fund the islands proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT), ending a debate on monorail vs. LRT following the conclusion of a high level delegation visit from Japan, Thursday. “The delegation, led by Hirofumi Katase the Vice Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry of […]
Asian shares flat, yen hits 2-week high ahead of BOJ
TOKYO, July 29 (Reuters) – Asian shares held near one-year highs while the yen hit a two-week high on Friday in nervous trade as investors waited to see if the Bank of Japan will come up with stimulus that would meet markets’ expectations. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat in early […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank increases policy rates by 50bps
July 28, 2016 (LBO) – The Monetary Board has decided to increase the main policy interest rates of the Central Bank, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate and the Standing Lending Facility Rate, by 50 basis points each to 7.00 percent and 8.50 percent respectively, effective from the close of business on 28 July 2016. “The […]
John Keells Holdings net up 10-pct in June quarter
Jul 28, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s diversified John Keells Holdings group profit after tax grew 10 percent to 2.6 billion rupees in the June quarter, from a year earlier with revenue climbing eight percent, the interim accounts showed. The consumer goods and transportation sectors posted strong growth of over 20 percent, while property, financial […]
‘s PM
July 28, 2016 (LBO) – Former Governor Arjuna Mahendran has taken up an appointment as an advisor to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the area of investments, a government official said. Mahendran did not seek re-appointment for the position of Central Bank governor last month as a COPE investigation into treasury bond issues had not […]
Sri Lanka rupee up on bank dlr sales; c.bank rate decision eyed
July 28, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee edged up on Thursday as banks’ dollar sales surpassed mild demand for the greenback from importers, ahead of the central bank’s monetary policy rate announcement later in the day, dealers said. The central bank is expected to keep its key interest rates steady for a fifth […]
Hayleys Fibre approves Rs420mn property sale to Alumex
July 28, 2016 (LBO) – Shareholders of Sri Lanka’s Hayleys Fibre have unanimously approved a disposal of 420 million rupees worth freehold property located at Ja-Ela to listed Alumex through a related party transaction. The company called an EGM to get shareholder approval for the disposal, as the value of the property exceeds 50 percent […]
No quick fixes for Sri Lanka economy, future sunny: CB Governor
Jul 28, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s new Central Bank governor says that he aims to have stable policies with strong fundamentals as opposed to quick fixes. “May countries are trying to create artificial momentum and if you look closely this has not worked,” Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Central Bank Governor said Thursday. “We will try to […]
Sri Lanka’s Access Engineering net down 13-pct in June quarter
July 28, 2016 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s Access Engineering group fell 13 percent to 524 million rupees in the June 2016 quarter from a year earlier amid higher expenses, interim accounts showed. The group posted earnings of 52 cents per share for the quarter, and the stock ended at 23.20 rupees on Wednesday. […]