Category: Banking and Finance

DFCC Bank plans to start due diligence work on MERC Bank next week and hope to finalise the transaction within two-months, a top official said Wednesday.DFCC said earlier it was in talks with MERC Bank, with the intension of acquiring it.rn rnldblquote Things are progressing. We have been open about our intensions to get a […]

Sampath said its was infusing Rs. 600 mn to Rs. 700 mn to bail out the troubled Union Bank.rn rnThe Sampath led consortium of investors also includes Chinkara Capital of Singapore. rn rnldblquote The recapitalisation/restructuring proposal when implemented, would result in a reconstitution of the appointment of an Advisory Board to oversee its operation, dblquote […]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday approved a Technical Assistance grant of US$ 500,000 to prepare country driven private sector development strategies for emerging nations. Sri Lanka is among four countries to participate in the programme which seeks to increase the private sectors role in long term growth and poverty reduction.rn rnOther countries to […]

Seylan Banks Group profits have shot up more than 50 percent, for the period ending March 31, 2002.rnrnrnrnrnrnNew Page 1rnrnrnrnrn rn First quarter Group profits for the periodrnending March 31, 2002rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Commercial Bank and DFCC plan to put in a strong bid for a majority stake in Eagle Insurance after losing a battle to get control of SLIC.Zurich Financial Services together with NDB, holds a majority stake in the company.rn rnHowever, Zurich announced its intentions of exiting the local market, after the company hit a bad […]

The tourism sector is high on the list of investment possibilities of a visiting International Finance Corporation team. IFC is the private sector investment arm of the World Bank.To date it has an exposure of over US$ 100 mn, mainly in financial markets and infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka.rn rnOf the total, almost 30 percent […]

The International Finance Corp. (IFC) is looking at further investments in Sri Lankas housing market, as part of its future investment strategy.rnrnrnrnrnrnrnNew Page 1rnrnrnrnrn IFC currently has a 15rnpercent stake in NDB Housing, a joint venture between the National DevelopmentrnBank and Housing Development & Finance Corp. of India.rn ldblquote We have been asked by therngovernment […]

The DFCC-Commercial Bank consortium plan to hold their stakes in Eagle Insurance through a holding company, in the event their bid succeeds.Both banks put a joint bid for Eagle Insurance, after its parent company, Zurich Financial Services (ZFS) said it was pulling out of Sri Lanka. rn rnldblquote If we get it, we are looking […]

Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd., Sri Lankas largest privately listed bank, says its business volumes have grown by nearly 30 percent during the first quarter of this year, despite falling interest rates.rnrnrnrnrnrnNew Page 1rnrnrnrnrnThe bank saidrnWednesday that its net profits rose 9 percent to Rs. 343 mn for the first threernmonths to March 31, 2003, […]

The government has restarted the derailed pension reforms programme, by appointing Channa de Silva to set up the unit for an interim period.De Silvas mandate includes scouting for a CEO to head the Office of Pension Reforms and implement recommendations set out by the Superannuation Reforms Taskforce.rn rnThe mandate for the Pension Office, covers an […]

Capitalising on the ongoing peace dividends, the government is once again talking of seeking a sovereign rating for Sri Lanka, with plans to issue the mandate as early as July this year.The government has been keen on a sovereign rating on many occasions, but has backed down due to the problem of timing.rn rnThe tentative […]

DFCC Bank is tipped to inject around Rs. 400 mn in fresh capital for a 76 percent slice in the cash starved MERC Bank.DFCC Bank on Monday said it was conducting a due diligence study on the small privately held MERC Bank, with the intension of acquiring it.rn rnMERC Bank started off with a Rs. […]