Sri Lanka mulls wage limits, industry forum

Oct 21, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is considering setting a minimum domestic wage and maximum expatriate wage for industries and also creating a forum for industrialists to air their grievances. The proposals were revealed at a meeting with industrialists held organised by the ministry of industry & commerce as part of consultations in preparation […]

Sri Lanka disclosure rules help propel rise in business ranking

Oct 21, 2011 (LBO) – Tighter corporate disclosure rules helped propel Sri Lanka up the ease of doing business rankings, moving it closer to the target ranking of 30, a regulator said. According to the ‘Doing Business Ranking’ computed by the World Bank Group, Sri Lanka was ranked 89 of 183 countries in 2012, a […]

Sri Lanka to improve local government taxation, licensing

Oct 21, 2011 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank has given Sri Lanka a 59 million US dollar loan to ensure balanced regional development that includes modernising local government taxation, licensing, and approval rules. The ‘Pura Neguma’ Local Government Enhancement Project to be implemented with ADB loan funds is scheduled to be completed by June […]

Sri Lanka moves up in doing business ranking: World Bank, IFC

Oct 20, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has become an easier place to do business rising nine places to 89 over the past year in a global ‘doing business’ ranking published by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation. “…Sri Lanka implemented the most reforms of any of the eight economies in South Asia, helping […]

Some economists push Fed to target nominal GDP

WASHINGTON, October 20, 2011 (AFP) – Frustrated by the moribund US recovery, a growing number of economists are pushing the Federal Reserve to adopt an explicit growth target, the most radical shift in central bank strategy in decades. In the world of economics an insurgency is raging amid worries that the Fed’s multi-trillion-dollar efforts to […]

Sri Lanka to buy UK steel bridges with HSBC finance

Oct 20, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will buy 210 steel bridges from UK’s for 35 million sterling pounds with financing from HSBC and state-run People’s Bank, minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said. The cabinet of ministers had approved the financing of the deal with 28. 22 million Sterling pounds from HSBC and 6.779 million pounds from […]

Sri Lanka Treasuries yields up

Oct 19, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasuries yields moved up across maturities at Wednesday’s auction with only 6. 8 billion rupees of bids being accepted from the market following an offer to sell 12. 0 billion rupees in bills. Sri Lanka’s interest rates have been moving up amid defence of a dollar peg and […]

Sri Lanka stock close 0.6-pct lower

Oct 19, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed 0. 6 percent lower Wednesday to a 13-month low while turnover fell to the lowest since July 2011, brokers said. Sampath Bank closed at 209.90 up 1.70 rupees, Commercial Bank fell 80 cents to close at 73. 20, Hatton National Bank fell 0.30 cents to 190.00. […]

Sri Lanka stocks down 1.07-pct

Oct 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks extended losses Tuesday closing 1.07 percent lower on the back of a 1.4 percent retreat Monday amid weak buying support, brokers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Index lost 68.99 points to close at 6,389.52 and the Milanka Index of liquid stocks fell 1.36 percent (79.09 points) […]

Sri Lanka raises defence spending

October 18, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Tuesday announced it would raise defence spending by over five percent in 2012, more than two years after the government ended a decades-long ethnic conflict with Tamil rebels. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also finance minister, is due to unveil the full 2012 budget on November 21, […]

Protesters camp in London, Frankfurt after clashes

LONDON, October 16, 2011 (AFP) – Hundreds of protesters camped out in London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam on Sunday, with some vowing to settle in for the long term as part of their campaign against corporate greed and budget cuts. The three camps, each of them in the heart of the cities’ financial districts, sprang up […]

Sri Lanka stocks slump 1.4-pct

Oct 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks slumped 1.4 percent Monday with several illiquid stocks that were punted up falling steeply while liquid stocks also suffered losses, brokers said. In forex markets the spot dollar traded at 110. 20/choice dealer said. The central bank had a repo auction to withdraw 30 billion in excess […]

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