Category: Banking and Finance

August 28, 2014 (LBO) -The Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the People’s Bank of China entered into a Bilateral Investment Agreement on Bond Investment on the 25th August 2014, which enables the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to further diversify its reserves management activities into Chinese Renminbi denominated assets. As a result, the Central […]

May 18, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said profits before tax drop marginally to 6.474 billion in the first half of 2014 due to imposition of Nation building tax from January. The bank says the profit before financial VAT and NBT was up 1.92 percent to 7.587 billion rupees. The imposition […]

Aug 04, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s regulator driven consolidation is on track with 12 banks and 57 non-bank lenders submitting plans for mergers and recapitalization, the Central Bank said. Another 19 non-bank lenders have completed internal processes to allow them to submit the plans, the regulator said. Already 19 proposals have been approved. Consultants […]

Aug 01, 2014 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank rose 5.6 percent from a year earlier to 843 million rupees, helped by higher net interest income, amid falling interest expenses, interim accounts showed. The bank reported earnings of 10.50 rupees per share. In the half year to June the group reported earnings […]

July 31 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run Bank of Ceylon, a major lender to the state and state enterprises will boost customer service and attract more private clients officials said, as the bank celebrates 75 years.“Our bankers are the best in the country but our outlook we must change,” Bank of Ceylon Chairman Harsha […]

July 29, 2014 (LBO) – Dharma Dheerasinghe, has been appointed Chairman of Commercial Bank of Ceylon, with the retirement of Dinesh Weerakkoddy. Preethi Jayawardene has been appointed Deputy Chairman. Dheerasinghe who was earlier Deputy Chairman was a Deputy Governor of Sri Lanka’s central bank. Jayawardene had been in the Board of Commercial Bank since December […]

July 23, 2014 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s HDFC Bank, a mortgage lender, surged over five fold to 82 million rupees in the June 2014 quarter from a year earlier as borrowing costs fell, interim accounts showed. Defaulted loans are periodically settled against member balances. The bank reported earnings of 1.28 rupees per share […]

July 22, 2014 (LBO) – George Steuart Finance Deshodaya Development Finance Limited (DDFC), has inked a deal to acquire George Steuart Finance Plc, which valued the licensed finance company at 500 million rupees. In the year to March, George Steuart Finance reported profits of 4.6 million rupees (45 cents per share) on interest income of […]

July 17, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said it will acquire Indra Finance, a finance company linked to a top vehicle retailer for 870 million rupees. Indra Finance had 507 million rupees in equity 73 million rupees in profits and 2.0 billion rupees in assets according to the last balance sheet […]

July 17, 2014 (LBO) – Benefits from a state guarantee for gold-backed loans (pawning) will be temporary, a report by Standard & Poor’s, a rating agency said. “The credit guarantee for pawning loans will provide only brief respite to Sri Lanka’s banking industry, which is still struggling to overcome the effects of declining gold prices,” […]

June 17, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank and DFCC Bank has engaged Boston Consulting Group (India) Pvt Ltd, to advice on a planned merger. The banks said in a joint stock exchange filing that no final decision has been made on the merger. The two banks are merging under a regulatory move […]

July 16, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said Sivakrishnarajah Renganathan, the Bank’s Deputy General Manager Personal Banking has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director. The appointment takes effect on July 17. He has been with Commercial Bank for 34 years. In July 2003, he was appointed country manager Bangladesh, […]