Category: Economy
Sri Lanka Treasury issues bonds to support state enterprises
Jan 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s treasury has issued 50 billion rupees in bonds to repay outstanding loans or raise capital of state-owned enterprises, a Central Bank official said, explaining the likely scenario for an increase in bonds outstanding this month. Data shows a bond maturing 15 December 2020, for 50 billion rupees, placed […]
Sri Lanka interest rates tied to inflation, Fed: CB Governor
Jan 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will review policy interest rates based on inflation outlook and external factors such as Fed interest rates, the Central Bank Governor told a press conference. “The key thing to look at is inflationary expectations and that is something we have full responsibility for,” Governor Arjuna Mahendran said. The […]
Sri Lanka Economic Forum with Soros, Stiglitz next month
Dec 31, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government will host its Sri Lanka Economic Forum next month with business magnate and philanthropist George Soros and nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz as guest speakers.The conference, an initiative of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, will bring together development specialists to advise the various arms of government on its development […]
Sri Lanka govt in informal consultation with IMF: CB Governor
Dec 31, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran said that they are examining the possibilities of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan facility next year. “Yes we are examining the possibilities and the government are in informal consultation with the IMF,” Mahendran said. “A team is due here for regular discussions […]
Sri Lanka economy grew 5.2 pct in first nine months : CB-Updated
(Updated with Central Bank presentation) Dec 31, 2015 (LBO) -Sri Lanka’s economy grew 5.2 percent during the first nine months of the year compared with 2.4 percent growth during the same period last year, the Central Bank said on Thursday. Strong credit growth to the private sector seeping out as consumption imports was, however, a […]
Sri Lanka Central Bank tightens monetary policy, increases SRR
Dec 30, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank tightened monetary policy on Wednesday citing concerns over expansion in monetary aggregates fueling inflation. The Monetary Board raised the Statutory Reserve Ratio (SRR) applicable to all rupee deposit liabilities of commercial banks by 1.50 percentage points to 7.50 per cent effective from 16 January. The Standing […]
Dollar gains limited in 2016, fund managers look elsewhere
Dec 29, 2015 (LBO) – US Dollar gains are expected to be limited next year compared with the strengthening seen over the last two years after a well-expected tightening of interest rates by the US Fed this month. The dollar rallied 10 percent to 1.09 per euro this year from 1.2 per euro at the […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves rise to USD7.3 bln in Nov
Dec 29, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s official foreign reserves increased to 7,295 million dollars at the end of November this year, up from 6,480 million dollars at the end of October after a sovereign bond issue, according to figures released by the Central Bank. This included 6,463 million dollars in foreign reserves and 756 […]
Sri Lanka labour force 9 mn, unemployment 5 pct in 3Q: Census Dept
Dec 23, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s labour force is about nine million in the third quarter of 2015, of which 64.5 percent are males and 35.5 percent are females, the Department of Census and Statistics said. The Department has released employment, unemployment and labour force statistics based on a sample of about 6,250 housing […]
Sri Lanka’s economic goals can be achieved through addressing brain drain: Eran
Dec 23, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s deputy Minister of State Enterprise Development said that internationally exposed management skills of local expatriates are the need of the hour if the island nation is to achieve its expected economic targets in the near future. “Everyone only talks of capital and technology but in my experience it […]
Details on new investment and exports framework in January: Malik
Dec 22, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will have its first glance of the country’s new investment and export framework as early as next January, a top Cabinet Minister said. The Board of Investment and Export Development Board are slated to become implementing arms of a new, higher level policy and strategy body consisting of […]
Sri Lanka inflation accelerates to 4.8-pct in November
Dec 21, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices rose 4.8 percent in the 12-months to November from a year earlier, from the 3.0 percent a month earlier, data from the state statistics office showed. Year on year inflation of Food Group has increased from 2.3 percent in October 2015 to 4.6 percent in November […]