Category: Banking and Finance

Aug 15, 2008 (LBO) – Directors of Sri Lankan banks who reach a term limit of nine years in 2008, would be allowed to be in office for a further three years, the Central Bank which is the financial regulator, said.The direction gives effect to a Supreme Court ruling made in July 2008 against a […]

Aug 14, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will issue special coins commemorating the runner-up of the last cricket world cup, an official said.Sri Lanka’s central bank will issue a Nickel plated steel coin with a denomination of 5 rupees and depicting a bowler. A brass plated steel coin with a face value of 1,000 rupees […]

Aug 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Assetline Leasing, unit of David Pieris Motor Company has raised 100 million rupees by securitizing vehicle leases, NDB Investment Bank which structured the issue said. Assetline provides leasing, hire purchase and dealer financing and has 13 branches and 8 service centres. It was incorporated in 2003 and had […]

August 4, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan savers, faced with the prospect of the value of their savings being eroded by record inflation, are being advised to save early in life and diversify to spread the risks. Top money management professionals say the public must adapt to financial planning while saving a part of the […]

Aug 04, 2008 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has confirmed the ‘AAA(lka)’ national long-term rating of HSBC Sri Lanka with a stable outlook. The ratings agency said in a statement that the bad loans of the bank, the island’s largest foreign bank, had increased but that its asset quality was high by Sri Lankan standards. Fitch […]

July 31, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Nations Trust Bank (NTB) said June quarter net profit rose 54 percent to 141 million rupees from a year ago, with a sharp increase in specific provisioning for bad loans. Gross income went up 34 percent to nearly 3.3 billion rupees, the bank said in interim results released […]

July 29, 2008 (LBO) – Fitch Sri Lanka has confirmed the ‘AAA(lka)’ long term rating of state-run National Savings Bank with a stable outlook but has said low interest rates offered by the bank are shrinking its market share. Though the bank has been making profits in the last few years by keeping deposit rates […]

July 29, 2008 (LBO) – The Cranfield School of Management in the UK has offered a Master of Business Administration scholarship to any member of Sri Lanka’s three leading accountancy bodies.Cranfield MBA alumni from Sri Lanka include Hatton National Bank managing director Rajendra Theagarajah, senior vice president of WNS Arul Sivagananathan and Stretchline group financial […]

July 28, 2008 LBO) – Sri Lanka’s finance ministry plans to bring a proposed new law to amalgamate six regional development banks (RDBs) to parliament early next month, a senior official says. The main stake holders of the banks last week gave the green light to the proposed act which is now being examined by […]

July 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankans must start making specific plans to save and invest money early enough to help at the time of retirement or in an emergency, financial sector professionals say. Having a structured savings scheme automatically reduces the reliance on debt, Premaratne says. Most young people have not planned their future […]

July 22, 2008 (LBO) – Commercial Bank said it has begun accepting deposits from foreigners and Sri Lankan expatriates after the Central Bank relaxed foreign exchange rules. Special Foreign Investment Deposit Accounts (SFIDA) can be opened in designated foreign currencies and Sri Lankan rupees, it said in a statement. The minimum initial deposit required to […]

July 20, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Nations Trust Bank (NTB) has launched priority banking services for premium customers with higher interest rates and benefits, officials said. Dedicated agents will be present in NTB branches to serve Inner Circle members, Fernando says. The priority service is available all year round in NTB branches of Colombo, […]