Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka to sell 200 million dollars in bonds to residents
May 28, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is offering 200 million dollars worth bonds to resident investors next month, the government’s debt office said.The securities, called Sri Lanka Development Bonds (SLDBs), are offered on three maturities, the Public Debt Department, which is a unit of Sri Lanka’s central bank, said in a letter to market […]
ICRC warns rising food prices hurting the poorest in war zones
May 27, 2008 (AFP) – The head of the International Red Cross warned Tuesday that soaring food prices are exacerbating the misery of millions of poor people already suffering in war zones from Chad to Afghanistan.“The recent rise in food and fuel prices is making life even harder for poor people already struggling to cope […]
Sri Lanka meeting mulls trade-poverty nexus
May 28, 2008 (LBO) – Trade liberalisation may not necessarily lead to economic growth and lower poverty, with state intervention in recent financial crises showing the market may not have all the answers, a meeting of South Asian policy makers was told. This leads to growth which in turns results in poverty reduction. But it […]
Sri Lankan shares slide amid war jitters
May 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices weakened further Tuesday, with the main index losing half a percentage point a day after a bomb ripped through a crowded passenger train in the capital killing at least nine people.Another bombing inside the city on May 16 killed 13 people and wounded more than 80 […]
Sri Lanka to raise minimum wage
May 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka employers grouping, unions and the government are in discussions to raise minimum wages in the country, an official said Tuesday. Deputy director general of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon Kanishka Weerasinghe said discussions have started with the department of labour and other stakeholders for around three dozen types […]
Sri Lanka state sector is heavy on poor: minister
May 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has the world’s biggest public sector which is too big a burden on the poor, and the public service must do more to drive economic growth, a senior minister has said.The recruitment to the public sector on an ad hoc basis and the availability of non-performance based benefits […]
Sri Lanka central bank says inflation would be higher than target
May 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said inflation would be higher than targeted in 2008, as the monetary authority found it difficult to counter pressures from rising commodity prices, especially oil. “In the circumstances there is a strong likelihood of the actual 2008 inflation being significantly higher than the previous estimates..,” the […]
Sri Lanka minister threatens mandated wage hike
May 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s labour minister threatened to mandate a private sector wage hike the same day the island’s monetary authority said it was trying to contain ‘second round’ effects on inflation. The minister of labour, Athauda Seneviratne told our sister site vimasuma.com that the government had decided the private sector should […]
Reserve currencies should stop money printing to contain commodity bubble: IMF study
May 25, 2008 (LBO) – The world’s major ‘reserve currency’ central banks should stop money printing to end a monetary shock that is firing a global commodity bubble and food riots in poor countries, a new International Monetary Fund study has said. The money issued by major central banks such as the Federal Reserve and […]
Sri Lanka stocks close lower on Dialog Telekom worries
May 23, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed 0.51 percent lower Friday affected by a 75 cent drop in the share price of Dialog Telekom after it released quarterly results showing profit falling by half, brokers said. Total turnover was 301.8 million rupees with 9.9 million in volume trade. The All Share Price Index […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries plunge across tenors
May 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Treasuries yields plunged for the third week running with the benchmark 3-month yield falling 41 basis points to 17.14 percent, the government’s debt office said. Corrected 6-month yield The government sold 4.0 billion out of 10.5 billion rupees of maturing bills, the debt office, which is a unit […]
Sri Lankan stocks sag with investors in holiday mood
May 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks weakened further Wednesday as the market re-opened after a long weekend with brokers expecting trading to be sluggish in the next two days owing to the Vesak holiday mood of investors. Talawakelle Plantations traded one rupee higher at 41.00 and Kegalle Plantations was also up by one […]