Category: Economy and Markets
US investors buy 62-pct of Sri Lanka sovereign bonds: report
Jan 07, 2014 (LBO) – US based investors have bought 62 percent of a billion US dollar sovereign bond sold by Sri Lanka, a media report said.About 89 percent were bought by fund managers, 8 percent banks and 2 percent private banks. Sources close to the deal said 3.2 billion worth of bids had come […]
Sri Lanka says response to latest bond sale shows investor confidence
Jan 07, 2014 (LBO) – A billion US dollar 5-year sovereign bond sale at 6.0 percent, below yields seen in similar issues earlier is a sign of investor confidence amid turbulent markets, the state debt office said. Fund Managers were the largest investors in the transaction, representing 89 per cent, with Banks and Private Banks […]
Sri Lanka chambers ask for probe on official statistics
Jan 07, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s key business chambers have called for a probe on official statistics following reports on how an official was allegedly asked to boost gross domestic numbers in a court filing. “If such doubts were to persist, it would lead to a lack of credibility on a range of published […]
Sri Lanka 5-year sovereign bond sale opens: report
Jan 06, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has started selling a 5-year sovereign bond with price guidance set around 6.25 percent, a media report said. Bloomberg newswires said Citigroup, HSBC Standard Chartered and UBS were managing the sale. Sri Lanka is rated B1 by Moody’s B+ by S&P) and BB- by Fitch.
Sri Lanka stocks end 0.4-pct lower
Jan 06, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.48 percent Monday with diversified stocks losing ground amid net foreign buying, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed 28.81 points lower at 5,944.99, down 0.48 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 12.45 points lower at 3,282.37, down 0.38 percent. Turnover was 462.20 […]
Sri Lanka inflation 4.8-pct by citizen index
Jan 05, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation measured by a private consumer price index rose 4.8 percent in the 12 months of 2013 in line with the 4.7 percent measured by the state statistics office. In Feb 2012, the rupee was floated, allowing the peg to fall to around 118 to the US dollar […]
Sri Lanka expects 7.8-pct growth and 5.0-pct inflation in 2014
Jan 03, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is expected to grow 7.8 percent in 2014 as business activities pick up with inflation targeted at 5.0-pct, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said.Sri Lanka has a pegged exchange rate, loosely anchored to the US dollar and money printed by the Central Bank through domestic asset acquisitions tends […]
Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.9-pct
Jan 02, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks end on a strong note Thursday with index heavy and diversified firms gaining despite net foreign selling, brokers said. DFCC closed 4.20 rupees higher at 133.20 rupees and Ceylinco Insurance closed 5.00 rupees higher at 1,345.00 rupees. HNB closed 1.00 rupee higher at 148.00 rupees. The Colombo […]
Sri Lanka expects 7.2-pct growth in 2013, US$7.1bn in forex reserves
Jan 02, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to grow 7.2 percent in 2013 with inflation recorded at 4.7 percent and foreign reserves at 7.1 billion US dollars, the Central Bank said.Net credit to government also declined 3.5 billion rupees in November. Sri Lanka originally expected 7.5 percent growth for 2013. “Available leading […]
Sri Lanka narrows policy rate corridor
Jan 02, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has narrowed a policy rate corridor cutting its policy rate window for injecting cash into the banking system by 50 basis points to 8.00 percent but left its rate to withdraw cash unchanged at 6.50 percent. The central bank said it would no longer give securities […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries yield extend fall
Jan 01, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasuries yields fell across maturities at Wednesday’s auction with the 12-month yield falling 34 basis points to 7.95 percent, data from the state debt office showed. Analysts say if there are state payments arrears to private suppliers, who in turn owe money to banks, bank rates can take […]
‘s CPC breaks even in 2013: minister
Dec 31, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has reached break even status in 2013, after a 60 million US dollar legacy oil derivative cost that went against it, a minister said.Petroleum industries minister Anura Yapa said the agency is also collecting arrears from state agencies including Ceylon Electricity Board, SriLankan Airlines […]