Category: Banking and Finance

Aug 13, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hatton National Bank said it will exit from Delma Exchange, a remittance house in the United Arab Emirates which expatriate workers use to send money home. In the five months to May remittances rose 28 percent to 2.1 billion US dollars. “[The] Board of Directors have decided to […]

Aug 12, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s net profits in the June 2011 quarter rose 63.8 percent to 1.97 billion rupees, amid strong credit growth and containment of interest expenses, interim accounts show. The group reported earnings of 5. 17 rupees per share for the quarter. For the six months it […]

Aug 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s credit to business from commercial banks rose 34. 4 percent to 1,793.4 billion rupees in June with banks disbursing 39 billion rupees of loans during the month, while credit to the state also spiked sharply. Banks have given 33.1 billion rupees of loans denominated in rupees and 6.0 […]

Aug 05, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Nations Trust Bank group June 2011 quarter profits rose 29 percent to 360 million rupees helped by a provision reversal and lower taxes, despite a squeeze in margins on its loan book, interim accounts showed. The bank reported earnings of 1.55 rupees for the quarter and 2. 58 […]

Aug 05, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s NDB Bank has appointed Hemaka Amarasuriya, former chairman of Singer Sri Lanka, and Softlogic group chief Ashok Pathirage as deputy chairman. The appointments were made on August 04, the bank said in a statement. Amarasuriya was also vice president of Singer Asia and Retail Holdings Limited of USA. […]

Aug 04, 2011 (LBO) – Malaysia’s CIMB financial group has formed a joint venture in Sri Lanka to target investors in East Asia as the island’s growth picks up after a 30-year war and opportunities come up in areas including infrastructure, officials said. CIMB Holding group will hold 51 percent of the Sri Lanka venture […]

Aug 02, 2011 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has confirmed Commercial Bank’s (CB) national long-term rating at ‘AA(lka)’ with a stable outlook and also confirmed its subordinated debentures at ‘AA-(lka)’. “CB’s ratings reflect its solid domestic franchise, sound profitability and its strong capital position,” a statement said. Fitch noted that the bank has arrested the […]

Aug 01, 2011 (LBO) – Amana Bank, Sri Lanka’s first licensed commercial bank to operate under Islamic ‘Shariah’ laws has opened its doors in Colombo and fourteen other branches, the firm said. The bank has 14 branches with its main office in Colombo 03 and other branches in Colombo’s Pettah commercial area, Kandy, Kurunegala, Akurana, […]

Aug 01, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Citizens Development Business Finance’s net profit shot up 132 percent to 80 million rupees in the June 2011 quarter from a year ago, according to a Colombo stock exchange filing. Interim accounts showed sharp increases in interest income and earnings from leasing and hire purchase amid loan growth […]

Aug 01, 2011 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has confirmed Standard Chartered Bank, Sri Lanka Branch’s (SCBSL) national long-term rating at ‘AAA(lka)’ with a stable outlook. “SCBSL’s rating is at the highest end of the national rating scale and reflects the financial strength of Standard Chartered Bank PLC (SCB),” a statement said. “The rating is […]

July 29, 2011 (LBO) – India’s central bank has asked regional banks to be careful when dealing with people and entities from Sri Lanka after an international anti money laundering body listed the island as having insufficient compliance, a media report said. India’s Hindu newspaper said the country’s regional rural banks have been advised to […]

July 28, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank group’s net profits in the June 2011 quarter rose 52 percent to 1. 13 billion rupees from a year earlier partly helped by a provision reversal amid strong loan growth, provisional accounts showed. The group reported 7.26 rupees of earnings per share for the quarter. Interest […]