Category: Featured
Sri Lanka exports, imports decline; trade gap shrinks in February
June 07, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell 1.7 percent to 887.7 million US dollars in February, while imports fell at a faster 5.9 percent to 1,439.3 million US dollars from a year earlier, official data showed. The trade gap has shrank 11.9 percent to 551.7 million US dollars from a year earlier. On […]
IMF approves 36-month EFF facility of USD1.5 Bln to Sri Lanka
June 04, 2016 (LBO) – The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 36-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to Sri Lanka for 1.5 billion dollars, to support the country’s economic reform agenda, the IMF said. The arrangement aims to meet balance of payments needs arising from a deteriorating external environment and […]
Korean firm wants to revive KKS cement with USD450mn investment
June 03, 2016 (LBO) – Korea’s AFKO group is interested in reviving the Kankesanthurai cement plant with a 450 million dollar investment, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement. AFKO Group, which merged with Korea’s multinational chaebol Hyundai Group in 2008, has its own construction and cement projects in several countries. The […]
Sri Lanka drops Bus Rapid Transport proposal from Megapolis
June 02, 2016 (LBO) – The transport committee of Sri Lanka’s Western Megapolis has dropped an earlier proposal to introduce a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system due to reasons including inability to add additional bus lanes. The decision has been reached after analyzing a feasibility study by Moratuwa University which shows that the proposed BRT […]
Neoliberalism oversold? Inequality throttles growth, say IMF economists
June 02, 2016 (LBO) – Instead of delivering growth, some neoliberal policies increase inequality which in turn jeopardize sustainable development, three IMF economists say in a recent article. Neoliberalism refers to capitalism in its purest form where privatization, deregulation, and the “freeing of the market” are keys to a flourishing economy. The senior IMF economists […]
Federal proposal among Sri Lankan views on constitutional reform: PRC
June 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Public Representations Committee (PRC) on constitutional reforms has received various proposals from the public including proposals for a federal solution with separation of power, the committee said. The Chairman of the Committee Lal Wijenayake told reporters Wednesday that the public had different views on the nature of the […]
Sri Lanka to sign MoU with Singapore’s Surbana Jurong to develop Trinco
Jun 01, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Minister of International Trade said that Surbana Jurong, a firm specializing in urbanization and infrastructure development, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the government to develop Trincomalee. “Surbana Jurong will also be developing a Master Plan for the Trincomalee region,” Malik Samarawickreme, minister of development strategies and international […]
Shangri-La opens 145-acre resort in Hambantota Sri Lanka
June 01, 2016 (LBO) – Shangri-La opened its 145-acre Hambantota Resort & Spa in the Southeast Sri Lanka on Wednesday, one of the major hotel chains to enter the island after the end of a war with Tamil Tiger separatists. The 300-room beachfront resort, which includes an 18-hole golf course and an artisan village, launched […]
SL Funds: Equity Unit Trusts now outperform market, says Guardian Acuity
May 27, 2016 (LBO) – There’s good news in fund management. Most of the professionally managed funds that invest in the Colombo market tend to outperform the market. In 2014, for instance, the Guardian Acuity Equity Fund, gave a return of 37.9 percent, compared with the All Share Price Index (ASPI) which rallied 23.4 percent. […]
Sri Lanka’s Islamic Finance sector growing, lacks skilled staff: report
May 26, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Islamic Finance sector continues to grow steadily but lacks staff that are qualified and have technical knowledge, the recently launched Islamic Finance country report 2016 said. “Despite the growth in the number of players, not a great deal of progress has been made in terms of the numbers […]
‘s promised reforms, repeal of PTA delayed: Int. Crisis Group
May 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s reform agenda has slowed and the Tamil minority is beginning to doubt the government’s ability to fulfill pledges made, the International Crisis Group said in its latest report. Sri Lanka ended a war with Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009 and promised to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act […]
Upper limit for Sri Lanka bank leasing to be imposed: Finance Minister
May 18, 2016 (LBO) – Several changes to Sri Lanka’s financial services will be enacted soon such as leasing services offered by banks, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said, speaking at a forum in Colombo. A proposal in the budget that banks should stop leasing from June 1 will be modified, he said. “Finally, it is […]