Category: Banking and Finance

Jan 28, 2012 (LBO) – Liquid assets in Sri Lankan banks are falling and loan to deposit ratios are deteriorating, with some banks reaching 100 percent, Fitch Ratings Lanka said as authorities continued to defend a dollar peg creating a liquidity crunch. Fitch said in an report on the outlook on Sri Lankan banks that […]

Jan 27, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka commercial bank loans may grow 25 percent in 2012 with more lending to small enterprises and retail customers as banks searched for better margins, Fitch Ratings Lanka said. Fitch said in report on Sri Lankan banks better risk management was needed especially for bank who are lending to […]

Jan 26, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s HSBC has launched a credit card for frequent international travellers which can be used to buy discounted air tickets, hotel rooms and use airport lounges, the bank said. Branded ‘HSBC Visa Signature’ the card offers discounts on Cathay Pacific Airways, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Malaysia Airline, Qatar Airways, […]

Jan 25, 2012 (LBO) – RAM Ratings Lanka has upgraded the long- and short-term financial institution ratings of Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB) to BBB and P2 from BBB- and P3 with a stable outlook on the long-term rating. The rating agency has also upgraded the long-term rating of CDB’s 250 million rupee unsubordinated unsecured […]

Jan 25, 2012 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has confirmed Sri Lanka’s Vallibel Finance’s (VFL) national long-term rating at ‘BB-(lka)’ with a stable outlook. “VFL’s rating factors in its small but growing asset base, healthy profitability and modest asset quality,” the rating agency said in a statement. “The rating is constrained by VFL’s modest capitalisation which […]

Jan 23, 2012 (LBO0 – Sri Lanka’s Senkadagala Finance said net profit rose 106 percent to 146 million rupees in the December 2011 quarter from a year ago. Total assets of the company were 10 billion rupees as at December 31, 2011, up from 6. 9 billion rupees as at March 31, 2011. Since getting […]

Jan 20, 2012 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka said it has maintained Ceylease Financial Services’ ‘BB+(lka)’ National Long-Term rating on Rating Watch Evolving (RWE). Two state-owned banks control Ceylease with Bank of Ceylon owing a 55 percent stake and a 72 percent stake held by Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (MBSL). Fitch said in a […]

Jan 20, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cyber security agency has warned bank customers using internet banking services to beware of fake sites that have stolen passwords of several users. The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre, the centre for cyber security in the island, said they have got about 10 complaints so […]

Jan 18, 2012 (LBO) – People’s Leasing Co. , Sri Lanka’s largest leasing company, said net profit in the December 2011 quarter rose 46 percent to 832 million rupees from a year ago. December 2011 quarter revenue rose 65 percent to 4. 2 billion rupees from a year ago while earnings per share rose 53 […]

Jan 17, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s credit to business from commercial banks rose to a new historic high of 63. 2 billion rupees in November helped by liquidity injections to offset foreign exchange interventions, official data showed. In the 12-months to November 2011, credit to business grew 33.5 percent to 1,945.7 billion rupees against […]

Jan 09, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s credit information office is planning to acquire software by US-based Dun & Bradstreet costing 150 million rupees as it expands coverage and services, an official said. “We expect the software to be deployed from March,” Sri Lanka Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) general manager Gamini Karunaratne said. “It may […]

Jan 06, 2012 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has upgraded People’s Leasing Company’s (PLC) National Long-Term rating to ‘A+(lka)’ from ‘A(lka)’ and People’s Finance’s (PF) to ‘A-(lka)’ from ‘BBB(lka)’. The outlooks on both ratings are stable, the rating agency said in a statement. PLC’s outstanding 1,155 million rupee senior unsecured redeemable debentures have also been […]