Category: Economy
Sri Lanka unemployment up in Q2 2019
Oct 09, 2019 (LBO) – T h e n u m b e r o f unemployed persons in Sri Lanka is estimated as 420,231 or 4.9 percent during the second quarter 2019, a new report shows. Data from the state statistics office shows that this is a rise of 0.4 percent from the same […]
Sri Lankan bank lending rate cap may not support loan growth : Fitch
Oct 07, 2019 (LBO) – The lending rate cap recently imposed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) on rupee-denominated loans extended by Sri Lankan banks may not improve loan growth in the short term, Fitch Ratings says. To the extent banks cannot price for risk in order to make hurdle rates of return, […]
Mangala calls Mahinda to a public debate on debt status
Oct 04, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera called on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to enter into a public debate on the true status of the national debt. Samaraweera addressing media on Thursday assured the island’s economy is now stable because of sound fiscal policies introduced over the past few years by […]
First Capital anticipates Sri Lanka ASPI to reach 6,000 by Dec 2019 & 6,500 by Jun 2020
Oct 04, 2019 (LBO) – First Capital Research expects the equity market to adopt an upward trajectory over the next 12 months as they expect the ASPI to reach the next stage of the market cycle “Hope” stage and the Optimism stage. With the expected uptrend, the research firm targets ASPI to reach 6,000 by […]
‘s to become upper-middle-income economy
Sep 27, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to invest in people to unlock its productive potential, a senior official said. “People are the most valuable resource in any country and investing in people is smart economics,” said Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, World Bank County Director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives. “Technology and automation are radically changing the very nature of work […]
”; outlook stable
Sep 27, 2019 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B’ with a Stable Outlook. KEY RATING DRIVERS Sri Lanka’s ‘B’ rating balances high government debt and contingent liabilities, a challenging external financing profile and subdued economic growth against higher human development standards and per capita income […]
IMF says end-June fiscal target missed by a large margin; earlier targets no longer within reach
Sep 25, 2019 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that the protracted impact of the 2018 political crisis and the Easter attacks are significantly impacting the fiscal performance of Sri Lanka. According to the IMF, the end-June fiscal target was missed by a large margin, due to frontloading of spending from the clearing […]
‘s Extended Fund Facility
Sep 25, 2019 (LBO) – International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that the Sri Lankan authorities are taking steps to complete all the pending actions and structural benchmarks for the sixth review of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) over the next few weeks. A staff team from the IMF led by Manuela Goretti visited Colombo […]
Sri Lanka headline inflation increased in August; core inflation declined
Sep 24, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year change in the National Consumer Price Index increased to 3.4 percent in August from 2.2 percent in July 2019. The Central Bank said the low base that prevailed in the corresponding month of the previous year and the monthly increases of […]
Global financial assets fall, SL economy slows: Report
Sep 20, 2019 (LBO) – Allianz’s Global Wealth Report, which puts the asset and debt situation of households in more than 50 countries/regions under the microscope says financial assets in 2018 across industrial and emerging countries/regions declined simultaneously for the first time. Savers worldwide have found themselves in a bind, due to the escalating trade […]
Resilient Sri Lanka reports positive GDP growth despite Easter Sunday terror attacks
September 19, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has reported GDP growth of 1.6% in the second quarter ended June 30, 2019. This positive growth has been reported despite the country’s tourist industry being virtually shut down after the Easter Sunday terror attacks. The Sri Lankan economy has been able to absorb serious shocks in the […]
Sri Lanka GDP growth 1.6-pct in Q2
Sep 19, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the second quarter of 2019 has been estimated as 1.6 percent, a new report said. The GDP for the second quarter of 2019 at current price and constant (2010) price have reached up to 3,620,736 million rupees and 2,315,995 million rupees […]