Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka should persist with stabilization measures: business chamber
June 13, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Chamber of Commerce says the state should persist with measures efforts to correct balance of payments pressure and learn lessons to make sure that such incidents are not repeated. “Macroeconomic stability is a crucial element of a conducive investment climate and favourable operating environment for business,” the […]
Sri Lankan stocks up 0.77 percent
June 13, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices firmed up on Wednesday, driven by investor interest in blue chip stocks, brokers said. Colombo’s broader All Share Price Index was up 37.24 points or 0.77 percent to 4,844.79, the Milanka Price Index gained 34. 65 points or 0.81 percent to end at 4,303.89, according to […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries yields up
June 13, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasuries yields edged up at Wednesday’s auction with the three and six month yields picking up data from the state debt office showed, while pressure also developed on forex markets. If interest rates are allowed to float freely, especially in the short term markets, the exchange rate can […]
‘s parliament should have more oversight on debt: legislator
June 13, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s parliament should have more control over the way government debt is raised and its terms, a legislator has said amid rising volumes of commercial debt by the state. Though the constitution by its article 148 gave parliament ‘total control of public finances’ there was very little it could […]
Sri Lanka policy rate unchanged, growth projected at 7.2-pct for 2012
June 13, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is maintaining it key policy interest rate at which money is injected to the banking system at 9. 75 percent, and the growth is expected to be 7.2 percent for 2012, despite a contraction in trade, the Central Bank said. Sri Lanka raised rates and increased energy prices […]
Sri Lanka rupee weakens to new low
June 12, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s rupee was quoted as low as 133.60/90 to the US dollar in intra-day spot trade Tuesday and recovered following some selling by a state bank, dealers said as emerging data showed a gradual contraction in external trade. Last year import rose to unsustainable levels as the Central Bank […]
Sri Lanka overnight rates at new high amid forex pressure
June 12, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s overnight interest rates rose to a high of 10. 50 percent Tuesday, the highest since a balance of payments crisis began in the middle of 2011, as the rupee sank to a new low against the US dollar. Excess liquidity (the aggregate clearing balance of the banking system) […]
Sri Lanka shares dip 0.08 percent
June 12, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices slipped marginally, on thin volumes, as investors picked through selected stocks, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index slipped 0.08 percent or 3.89 points to close at 4,807.55, while the liquid Milanka Price Index nudged up 0.11 percent or 4.87 points to end at 4,269.25, […]
Sri Lanka, South Asian can benefit from free trade, education
June 12, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and her South Asian neighbors should give trade freedoms to their citizens, strengthen property rights and increase investments in education, a business executive turned politician has said. While South Asian nations were trading with countries in the West whose citizens had won trade freedoms and had high living […]
‘s foreign reserves at US$5.8bn by April
June 12, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves rose to 5,835 million US dollars in April from 5,730 million US dollars in March, which was equal to about 3.3 months of imports, the Central Bank said. Though reserves are measured in months of imports, when a central bank sells foreign exchange to defend an […]
Sri Lanka shares up 0.26 percent
June 11, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stock prices edged up Monday, on slim volumes with selected buying across blue chips counters, brokers said. JKH counter rose 1.30 rupees to 180.00 rupees on volumes of 146,832 shares. Carsons, with investments ranging from oil palms to beer manufacturing, was flat at 467. 00 rupees on trades […]
Sri Lanka exports drop 9.2 percent April
June 11, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell 9.2 percent to 680.1 million dollars in April, while the country’s import bill slipped 3.3 percent to 1,441.0 million dollars, due to slower sales of apparels and tea, official data showed. The bank said the average crude oil import price rose to 121.21 dollars per barrel […]