Category: Banking and Finance

April 03, 2008 (LBO) –Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Corporation’s Sri Lanka branch reported sharply lower profits for 2007 largely owing to losses from foreign exchange transactions while bad loans are on the rise. The bank’s profit for 2007 fell 36.63 percent to 1.57 billion rupees, according to published annual accounts. Interest income, however, increased by […]

April 03, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank launched a life insurance policy scheme for its customers Thursday in a tie-up with Eagle Insurance, saying it wants to further diversify its financial services. The bank, which has already diversified into leasing and stock brokering and general insurance, said its entry into life insurance will […]

April 01, 2008 (LBO) – RAM Ratings (Lanka) Tuesday announced Siti Norma Yaakob has been elected as the new chairman of the firm and its parent company, RAM Holdings Berhad. It also announced the appointment of three new directors: Zainal Aznam, Syed Md Amin and Yeah Kim Leng. Siti Norma is the former Chief Judge […]

March 30, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has an opportunity to tap capital surpluses of oil-rich Gulf countries like Qatar as well as export professional services for a booming construction industry there, a senior Gulf banker said.R Seetharaman, chief executive of Doha Bank, the largest private commercial bank in the State of Qatar, said the […]

Mar 30, 2008 (LBO) – Standard Chartered Bank which won a deal to raise 150 million dollars for the government earlier this month, is well positioned to boost fee based services, a top official said. A top player in foreign exchange markets and hedging products in the island, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka’s after tax profit […]

March 30, 2008 (LBO) – The emergence of non-bank entities that issue cards for payment services are a threat to traditional commercial banks, a Sri Lankan central banker said. The payments system is being transformed by new information technology and the integration of financial markets which has led to the emergence of non-bank actors, said […]

March 28, 2008 (LBO) — A quiz on capital markets hosted by investment research outsourcing firm Amba Research is on track to have more teams this year with accounting bodies joining universities in the event. “Unlike last year, in addition to universities, we will be opening up this event to ACCA/CIMA institutes as well. We […]

March 28, 2008 (LBO) – Trading in Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank shares was halted briefly Friday after the bank announced it was in talks with an international private equity company about a possible investment. Sampath Bank is holding talks with ShoreCap International Ltd. (SCI) regarding a possible investment by ShoreCap in the bank, Sampath said […]

Mar 28, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has limited the risk premium of one year deposit rates of finance companies to 2.5 percent above Treasury bills, from an existing rate of 3.0 percent, the regulator said. The benchmark rate applicable is the weighted average T-bill rate of the preceding quarter. In 2005 the […]

Mar 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Janashakthi Insurance said it was on track for a public listing after recording profits of 525 million rupees in 2007, with strong results from general insurance and investment income boosting the bottom line. The firm’s total revenue with investment income rose to 5.2 billion rupees from 4.7 billion […]

March 27, 2008 (LBO) – The SAARC Payments Initiative (SPI), enabling a more efficient payment mechanism among south Asian countries, is to be launched in Colombo tomorrow, the Sri Lanka Central Bank said Thursday. The initiative will upgrade the region’s payment systems to international standards and help promote trade and investment in south Asia, a […]

Mar 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank says it is opening branches with extended hours and is also planning automated teller kiosks that will provide internet banking facilities to customers. The bank opened its 165th branch at Ward Place, Colombo on Wednesday which will stay open till 5.00 pm in the evening. Commercial […]