Category: Policy
Sri Lanka among 23 countries vulnerable to Chinese debt distress: Study
May 16, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has been classified as a highly vulnerable country to debt distress of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in a recent study published by the Center for Global Development.The policy paper has identified 68 countries that fall under the scope of BRI based on reports from Chinese quasi-official […]
Sri Lanka among most exposed countries to an interest rate shock: Moody’s
May 14, 2018 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service said the probability of an interest rate shock tends to be higher for Sri Lanka as the country is most exposed to a higher cost of debt that feeds mostly through weaker debt affordability.“The sovereigns most vulnerable to an interest rate shock are generally low rated, with […]
Sri Lanka gross official reserves improved to USD9.9bn by end April
May 11, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserve position had improved to 9.9 billion US dollars by end April, the record highest level in history with the successful issuance of the international sovereign bond in April and foreign exchange purchases by the Central Bank from the domestic market. So far during the year, the exchange […]
Central Bank maintains policy interest rates unchanged
May 11, 2018 (LBO) – Monetary Board of the Central Bank at its meeting held on 10 May 2018 has decided to maintain policy interest rates at their current levels.Accordingly, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) remain at 7.25 per cent and 8.50 per cent, respectively. The Board’s decision aims […]
Sri Lanka to revise fuel price every two months
May 11, 2018 (LBO) – Fuel prices in Sri Lanka will be revised every two months under a new cabinet approved pricing formula, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. “We will be reviewing according to the Platts Singapore benchmark prices,” he told reporters in Colombo. “This means the price could either increase or decrease.” Sri Lanka […]
‘s economy
May 03, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank said recent indicators reflect positive sentiment expressed by external foreign parties regarding the performance of the Sri Lankan economy and its prospects. Central Bank’s response came at a time when serious concerns have been expressed regarding the performance of the Sri Lankan economy. “It is instructive […]
World Bank warns of reform slowdown amid challenging political environment
Apr 17, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s growth is projected to rebound in 2018 and continue to be around 4.5 percent in the medium term, driven by private consumption and investment, the Wold Bank says in its latest report. “Inflation will stabilize at the mid-single digit level as the impact of natural disasters wears off, […]
Sri Lanka’s debt burden is higher than Ethiopia, Uganda & Ghana
Apr 09, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government revenue as a share of GDP is lower than many peers, while the government debt-to-GDP ratio is much higher, Moody’s Investors Service said in a statement.Debt-to-GDP ratio in Ethiopia, Uganda and Ghana among other countries is lower than Sri Lanka even though revenue-to-GDP ratio in these countries […]
Sri Lanka CB cuts policy rate ceiling by 25bps
Apr 04, 2018 (LB0) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has decided to reduce the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR), which is the upper bound of the policy interest rate corridor of the Central Bank, by 25 basis points, a statement said. The Monetary Board was of the view that the favourable developments in the economy […]
New IR act most progressive in SA, Will bring in extra Rs.60Bn in revenue
Apr 03, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance ministry says the government expects to earn a an additional revenue of 60 billion rupees each year through the new Inland Revenue Act (IRA). “This year, we expect the government to rake in 30 billion rupees,” S.R. Attygalle, deputy secretary of the Finance and Mass Media Ministry said. […]
JO MP Balasuriya critical of active liability management bill
April 02, 2018 (LBO) – In a recent speech in Parliament, JO MP Tharaka Balasuriya highlighted some problematic technicalities in the Active Liability Management Bill. The bill has encountered some controversy, with the Supreme Court finally having to weigh in through a verdict confirming that the bill is in fact constitutional. Balasuriya highlighted that this […]
Opinion: Economic reforms in Sri Lanka: Salvation or a recipe for inaction?
By Kithmina Hewage & Harini Weerasekera Economic reforms have become an urgent need for Sri Lanka, with successive governments since independence, resorting to short-term, politically expedient economic strategies that have placed considerable macroeconomic pressures whilst reducing Sri Lanka’s global competitiveness. Vision 2025, the current government’s short and medium-term policy direction, is aimed atsteeringthe economy towards […]