Sri Lanka employers should have closer dialogue with workers: ILO

Mar 02, 2010 (LBO) – Businesses can ride out economic downturns easier by having stronger relations with their workers through collective bargaining; an approach used countries like in Germany, an International Labour Organization (ILO) official said. Curtis was speaking at the tripartite workshop on freedom of association in collective bargaining in Sri Lanka, Nepal, the […]

Sri Lanka overall budget deficit nears 10.3-pct of GDP in 2009

Mar 02, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s budget deficit for 2009 has exceeded 10.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), with a planned 7.0 percent deficit derailed by weak revenues and sharply higher expenditure, a finance ministry report said. The pre-election fiscal report said the revenue deficit (the gap between total revenues and current expenditure) […]

Sri Lanka plans 8-pct budget deficit for 2010: fiscal report

Mar 02, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is planning a budget with a deficit of about eight percent of gross domestic product for 2010, a finance ministry report said, after provisional data said the 2009 gap has increased to over ten percent of the economy. In 2009 the government hoped to run a deficit of […]

March 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should not be given a “blank cheque” to revive its war-torn economy unless the political problem that generated the conflict is settled, an international non-governmental advocacy body has said. The ICG said donor governments and the UN should tie their aid to an end to impunity for human […]

Sri Lanka shares close 0.46-pct higher

Mar 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed up Monday as investors bought selected midcap and high value shares, brokers said. JKH closed at 168.75 rupees, up 50 cents, and Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka closed at 118.00 rupees, up 150. Commercial Bank of Ceylon closed at 197.00 rupees, down 75 cents, Hatton National […]

Sri Lanka saltern seeks listing: report

Feb 28, 2010 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan saltern is planning to raise 200 million rupees from a public offering of equity to expand its capacity and build a new salt refinery, media reports said. Raigam Wayamaba Salterns Limited, was hoping to sell 80 million shares at 2.50 rupees by offering a 28.35 percent stake […]

Sri Lanka stocks close 0.68-pct up

Feb 26, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed slightly higher Friday and passed 3,800 points as investors continued to bet on mid cap stocks, mainly financial and selected plantation firms, brokers said. Maskeliya Plantations closed at 35.50 rupees, up 25 cents. Conglomerate John Keells holdings closed at 168.25 rupees, up 50 cents, and Distilleries […]

IMF backs Sri Lanka central bank stance

Feb 26, 2010 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund, which put a deal with Sri Lanka on the shelf till at least May on a runaway budget, has backed the monetary policy stance of the island’s central bank. The central bank met its two performance criteria under the 2. 6 billion US dollar deal, a […]

Sri Lanka inflation gathers speed to 6.9-pct in Feb

Feb 26, 2010 (LBO) – Inflation in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo accelerated to 6. 9 percent in February 2010 from a year earlier, up from 6.5 percent January while prices increased 0. 2 percent during the month, the government’s statistics office said. Sri Lanka’s Colombo consumer price index (CCPI) has been rising steadily after April […]

Sri Lanka shares becalmed

Feb 25, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed almost flat Thursday as many investors chose to hold and not trade with parliamentary elections due in April, brokers said. “The first full-year, post-war results would be comping out after the elections and the first quarter results. ” There were two private off-the-floor deals, one involving […]

Sri Lanka IMF loan tranche held back on runaway budget

Feb 25, 2010 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has held back the third tranche of a 2. 6 billion US dollar loan to Sri Lanka after the country’s budget went off track in the last quarter of 2009. The tranche of slightly over 300 million US dollars was expected in March after following […]

Sri Lanka short-end Treasuries edge up

Feb 24, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s three, six and 12 month Treasury bill yields edged up at Wednesday’s auction, the government’s debt office said. This was higher than the 12.5 billion rupees of maturing bills. The 3-month yield edged up 09 basis points to 8. 26 percent, the 6-month yield was up 06 basis […]

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