Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka outlook lowered to negative by Fitch, B+ rating affirmed
Feb 27, 2009 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has lowered Sri Lanka’s long-term foreign currency sovereign credit outlook to negative from stable while confirming its rating at ‘B+’ and short-term rating at ‘B’. In 2009, Fitch forecasts the trade deficit will fall to 3.5 billion dollars and the current account will decline to 2.1 billion dollars, […]
Sri Lanka February inflation falls to 7.6-pct
Feb 27, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation in the 12 months to February 2009 measured by the revised Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) fell to 7.6 percent from 10.7 percent in January, the government statistics office said. However Sri Lanka is now in the middle of a severe balance of payments crisis, and the […]
Sri Lanka rupee intervention rate lowered
Feb 26, 2009 (LBO) – An intervention rate quoted by a state bank in Sri Lanka’s US dollar spot market was raised to 114.25 rupees from 113.85 Thursday, and quotes in the value tomorrow market moved up to 114. 95/115.10 rupees, dealers said. The rupee hit a low of 114.80 on Wednesday in the value […]
Sri Lankan stocks weaken amid foreign selling
Feb 26, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares lost ground Thursday, with the benchmark index slipping below the 1,700 point mark amid heavy foreign selling, brokers said.There was also active trading in Lanka India Oil Corporation which ended up 25 cents at 17.50 rupees. In forex markets the US dollar fell as low as 115.30 […]
Sri Lankan stocks tumble
Feb 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares lost 1.19 percent Wednesday with the indices dragged down by losses in heavyweights like Dialog Telekom after it reported a big loss in the December quarter, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share […]
Sri Lanka rupee falls to 114.80 in bizarre trade; Bill stock Rs184bn
Feb 25, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka rupee fell to a new low of 114.80 against the US dollar in value tomorrow trade with buying from a state bank, while spot dollars continued to be offered at 113.85 rupees also by a state bank, dealers said.Since September the Central Bank has lost more than […]
‘s tax office back in business
Feb 25, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tax payers are being asked by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to continue to pay their dues, as the island’s tax office is operating as usual after last week’s Tamil Tiger air attack on its headquarters building. A government minister said the IRD’s tax data base had not […]
Sri Lanka Treasury bill yields flat
Feb 25, 2009 (LBO) – Yields of Treasury bills stayed flat across maturities at an auction Wednesday, the government’s debt office said while bonds spiked amid foreign selling earlier in the day. The government sold 1.8 billion rupees of 3-month bills at a weighted average yield of 15.76 percent, 527 million rupees of 6-month bills […]
Sri Lanka cuts reserve ratio again
Feb 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has cut the statutory reserve ratio (SRR) or percentage of deposits commercial banks must keep with the central bank, by 75 basis points to 7.0 percent releasing 9 billion rupees of cash to the system.From September to December, Sri Lanka’s official reserves have halved from 3.4 to 1.7 […]
Sri Lanka shares end down
Feb 24, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended weaker Tuesday on low volumes with tableware exporter Dankotuwa Porcelain falling after news that it had lost a big American export customer, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All Share Price Index eased […]
Sri Lanka stocks enlivened by JKH deals
Feb 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan market was boosted Friday with conglomerate John Keells Holdings increasing control of Union Assurance, Ceylon Cold Stores and brokerage John Keells Ltd. by buying stakes held by Carson Cumberbatch, brokers said. A crossing of 4.36 million CCS shares was done at 115 rupees. CCS was up three rupees […]
Sri Lanka, developing countries, face more challenges and poverty from downturn: economists
Feb 20, 2009 (LBO) – While developed countries are facing economic contraction, developing nations are facing increases of absolute poverty, with some countries like Sri Lanka having little fiscal room to maneuver, economists have said. A global economic crunch from a collapsing housing, financial and commodity bubble was slowing ‘economic growth’ worldwide, with world growth […]