Category: Policy
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 […]
“Sri Lankan Airlines is a vanity we cannot afford,” Fin Min says
Sep 17, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister, Mangala Samaraweera says State Owned Enterprises (SOE) management has become political rather than professional, resulting in waste and corruption. “For example, my personal view is that Sri Lankan Airlines is a vanity we cannot afford,” the Minister said while addressing the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Economic […]
Sri Lanka’s Economic Summit 2019 Opens Today
Sep 17, 2019 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Economic Summit (SLES) 2019 themed on Re-calibrating Sri Lanka’s Economic Trajectory Towards 2025, to guide Sri Lanka’s journey towards development and prosperity will get underway at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, today. The two-day event brings together over 450 local and international participants consisting of prominent business leaders, […]
Sri Lanka reduces fuel prices
Sep 11, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has decided to reduce the petrol and diesel prices with effect from mid-night, yesterday the Finance Ministry said issuing a statement. Accordingly, petrol (octane 92) per litre will be decreased by Rs. 1 and making it Rs. 137; petrol (octane 95) will be sold at Rs. 161, […]
‘s credit profile reflects ongoing liquidity &’s
Aug 30, 2019 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service says in a new report that the credit profile of Sri Lanka (B2 stable) reflects ongoing government liquidity and external vulnerability risks. Key credit challenges include large borrowing requirements, with a high reliance on external funding, and low foreign exchange reserves coverage of forthcoming economy-wide external debt […]
Sri Lanka eco summit to discuss SOE reform implementation weaknesses
Aug 26, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) has been the topic of debate for many years now. Discussions around it have covered improving profitability, service and governance while examining the root causes for the continued losses incurred by SOEs. Some of the solutions for reforms are well known, but its implementation has […]
Sri Lanka vehicle registrations rebound in July 2019
Aug 26, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s vehicle registrations saw a rebound across the board in July from the lows of June since, limping back to normalcy post Easter Sunday bombings. Total motor cars recorded 2,584 units in July significantly up from 1,580 units in June but significantly down from 7,162 units 12 months ago. […]
Central Bank decides to reduce SDFR & SLFR by 50bps; SRR unchanged
Aug 23, 2019 (LBO) – Monetary Board of the Central Bank has decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) by 50 basis points to 7.00 percent and 8.00 percent, respectively. Statutory Reserve Ratio (SRR) unchanged. The Board said it arrived at this decision following a careful […]
First Capital assigns higher probability for neutral monetary policy stance
Aug 20, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s First Capital Research believes that the Central Bank may delay the monetary easing while allowing the impact of the previous rate cut to materialise. With manufacturing and credit signaling signs of recovery in economy and vulnerabilities affecting the external outlook, they assign a higher probability of 70 percent […]
Ceylon Chamber announces Sri Lanka investment and business conclave 2019
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in association with the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, the Department of Commerce and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board will be organizing Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2019 […]
Federal Reserve cuts interest rates for first time since 2008
Aug 02, 2019 (LBO) – The United States Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark rate by a quarter-point yesterday, its first rate cut since December 2008. The policymaking Federal Open Market Committee drops the target range to 2 percent to 2.25 percent for its overnight lending rate, or 25 basis points from the previous level. The […]
IMF downgrades global growth to 3.2-pct in 2019
Jul 25, 2019 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its growth forecasts for the global economy for this year and next, a statement said. It predicts growth of 3.2 percent in 2019, down from its April forecast of 3.3 percent while next year it is set to pick up to 3.5 percent […]