Category: Banking and Finance
HNB Finance completes successful CSE listing
May 21, 2020 (LBO) – HNB Finance a financial services provider, announced that the company’s shares are now listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange under the Diri-Savi Board. The first to be listed in over two years, HNB FINANCE’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) via an Offer for Sale on the Colombo Stock Exchange, was oversubscribed […]
Commercial Bank reduces lending rates of loans, leases, pawning & OD facilities
May 21, 2020 (LBO) – The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced a reduction of lending rates across the board in response to the present needs of individual and corporate borrowers and in line with the downward trend of interest rates in Sri Lanka. Effective immediately, the rate cut encompasses all categories of new loans […]
Fitch affirms &’s ratings
May 20, 2020 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has affirmed and withdrawn Sri Lanka-based National Savings Bank’s (NSB) Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of ‘B-‘ with a Negative Outlook. The affirmation of NSB’s IDRs, Support Rating and Support Rating Floor reflects that there have been no material changes from the last review on 5 May 2020. […]
HNB operating profit down by 13.5-pct, PAT up due to tax concessions
May 18, 2020 (LBO) – The operating profit of Sri Lanka’s Hatton National Bank (HNB) before VAT and taxes declined by 13.5% to Rs 4.2 Bn compared to Rs 4.9 Bn in the corresponding period of 2019, interim accounts showed. “The removal of Nations Building Tax (NBT) and Debt Repayment Levy (DRL) with effect from […]
Sri Lanka official reserves at USD 7.9Bn at end Feb 2020
May 18, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves stood at 7.9 billion dollars at end February 2020, equivalent to 4.7 months of imports, the Central Bank said. Total foreign assets, which consist of gross official reserves and foreign assets of the banking sector, amounted to 10.9 billion dollars at end February 2020, equivalent […]
We cannot allow irrational laws to impede our economy: President
May 15, 2020 (LBO) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that irrational laws should not obstruct the policies formulated to achieve the economic objectives of the people. The President stated this during a discussion with officials and ministry secretaries attached to the Plantation Industry sector at the Presidential Secretariat on May 14.The meeting was called to […]
Singer Finance Rs.1Bn debenture issue oversubscribed
May 15, 2020 (LBO) – Singer Finance (Lanka) PLC received a strong vote of confidence from investors with its recent Listed, Rated, unsecured, senior, redeemable three year and five year, one billion rupee debenture issue being oversubscribed. The subscription closed on Wednesday the 13th of May 2020. This Debenture issue is rated BBB (lka) by […]
President calls on banking sector to think out of the box to achieve economic revival
May 14, 2020 (LBO) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested the banking sector to deviate from conventional thinking and practice to support the country‟s striving to rebuild the economy badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The government was able to keep the corona virus under control. The biggest challenge we face right now is to […]
Commercial Bank operating profit down by 4.6-pct, PAT up due to concessions
May 14, 2020 (LBO) – Operating profit before taxes on financial services of Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank for the first quarter declined by 4.6%, interim accounts showed. The bank posted a profit before income tax of Rs 5.229 billion for the three months, an increase of 9.51% as the taxes on financial services has been […]
Central Bank cuts minimum requirement of Liquidity Coverage Ratio to 90-pct
May 13, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has decided to reduce the minimum requirement of Liquidity Coverage Ratio and Net Stable Funding Ratio to 90 percent with enhanced supervision and frequent reporting. The Central Bank has also decided to permit licensed banks to consider certain assets as liquid assets in the computation of […]
Central Bank places restrictions on discretionary payments of banks
May 13, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has issued directions to licensed banks restricting their discretionary payments with the aim of maintaining appropriate levels of liquidity in licensed banks while managing cash flows prudently. The Monetary Board has considered the possible adverse impact on liquidity and other key performance indicators of licensed commercial […]
Sampath Bank operating profit down by 10.8-pct, PAT up due to concessions
May 13, 2020 (LBO) – Operating profit of Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank for the first quarter, which is the real return generated by utilizing the assets and liabilities, declined by 10.8%, interim accounts showed. The challenges brought by COVID – 19 and the recession brought on by the terrorist attack in April 2019 has lead […]