Category: Economy and Markets
‘s Asia Pacific chief Anoop Singh to retire
July 26, 2013 (LBO) – Anoop Singh, director of the International Monetary Fund’s Asia Pacific Department and one-time country representative of Sri Lanka is to retire. “Anoop’s departure will deprive the Fund of one its most distinguished staff members, and his friends of a hugely admired colleague,” IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said in a […]
Loans to eurozone businesses drop sharply: ECB
FRANKFURT, July 25, 2013 (AFP) – Loans to businesses in the debt-mired eurozone tumbled in June, the European Central Bank said Thursday, weakening a key component of any economic recovery. Private sector loans dropped 1.6 percent last month in a year-on-year comparison, the ECB said, after a 1.1 percent decline in May. Loans to households […]
Many Sri Lanka state agency accounts disclaimed by auditors: COPE report
July 26, 2013 (LBO) – Accounts of 18 state enterprises and agencies had been disclaimed by auditors, while another 04 had adverse opinions, some for two years running, while some others had not even submitted annual reports, a parliamentary report said. An adverse audit opinion refers to an occasion when an auditor finds enough information […]
Sri Lanka stocks close down 0.7-pct
July 25, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed down 0.67 percent on Thursday with large cap stocks and banking sector making losses, brokers said. Distilleries Company closed at 190.10 rupees up 10 cents The benchmark Colombo All Share Index closed 40.98 points lower at 6,038.16 and the S&P SL 20 Index closed 24.63 points […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries short tenure bids rejected
July 24, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state debt office has rejected offers for three and 6 month bills at Wednesday’s auction accepting only tenders only for 12 month bills.Sri Lanka’s rupee has fallen around four rupees in recent weeks under pressure from excess rupee liquidity and a policy of the monetary authority not to […]
Sri Lanka holds rates, state credit easing: Central Bank
July 24, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is holding its policy interest rates at 9.00 percent to give money to banks with credit to state starting to ease, which will help private borrowing, the Central Bank said. Sri Lanka’s private borrowings and investment have been crowded out and investments by heavy government borrowing from banks […]
Sri Lanka refugee describes boat sinking tragedy
CIDAUN, July 24, 2013 (AFP) – Rescuers searched the seas off Indonesia’s Java island Wednesday for possibly dozens of asylum-seekers missing after their Australia-bound boat sank, leaving at least three dead, with 157 saved, an official said.Hundreds have drowned making the journey — as recently as last week a boat sank, killing four people — […]
Sri Lanka stocks close flat
July 24, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed flat on Wednesday with large cap stocks making losses, brokers and dealers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Index closed 05.10 points lower at 6,079.14 and the S&P SL 20 Index closed 12.02 points lower at 3,448.11 down 0.35 percent. Turnover was 291million rupees. While in […]
Sri Lanka rupee stronger amid thin liquidity
July 23, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s rupee was steady amid thin liquidity in the spot market against the US dollar for the second day in a row, with even cash market sales earlier in the day, dealers said.The spot US dollar was quoted around 131.50/55 after opening at 131.55/60 on Tuesday, dealers said.Cash sales […]
Sri Lanka to curb supermarket expansion
July 22, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to curb the expansion of self-service supermarkets, a media report said shortly after new taxes were imposed on privately owned chains.Sri Lanka’s privately owned Hiru radio channel quoting President Mahinda Rajapaksa as saying that small traders and individual sellers were being displaced by supermarkets. “The vegetable lady […]
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July 22, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s credit profile has stabilized but external debt and debt servicing costs are rising, Moody’s Investors Services, which has rated the country ‘B1’ said in a credit update.About 73 percent of total spending was current spending, though there were some improvements. Of the current spending 91 percent was for […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves drop in May 2013
July 19, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves dropped to 6.6 billion US dollars in May from 6.85 billion US dollars in April partly due to due payments to the International Monetary Fund and falling gold prices, the Central Bank said. The Central Bank said it repaid 225.5 million US dollars to the IMF […]