Category: Banking and Finance
Union Bank to cease its operations as a Primary Dealer
Apr 24, 2020 (LBO) – Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has granted approval for Union Bank of Colombo to cease its operations as a Primary Dealer with effect from 01 May 2020. Union Bank will continue to function as a Dealer Direct Participant in the LankaSettle system and transact in scripless […]
”; Outlook stable
Apr 21, 2020 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has affirmed Standard Chartered Bank, Sri Lanka Branch’s (SCBSL) National Long-Term Rating at ‘AAA(lka)’. The Outlook is Stable. KEY RATING DRIVERS The affirmation reflects Fitch’s expectation of a high probability of support from parent, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB: A+/Negative/a), if required, subject to any regulatory constraints on […]
Opinion: COVID-19 and foreign exchange woes: Can Sri Lanka find a way out?
Bilesha Weeraratne Growing pressure on Sri Lanka’s scarce foreign exchange resources, due to the wide spread of COVID-19 across the globe, is now more real than ever before. To ease this pressure, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has taken many measures to attract as well as retain more foreign exchange in Sri Lanka. […]
‘s places ratings of BOC, HNB & Sampath Bank on review for downgrade
Apr 20, 2020 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service has placed the B2 long-term local currency deposit and foreign currency issuer ratings of Bank of Ceylon (BOC), Hatton National Bank (HNB) and Sampath Bank on review for downgrade. At the same time, Moody’s has downgraded the Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) of BOC to b3 from b2 […]
” rating
Apr 16, 2020 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has revised the Outlook on Sri Lankan consumer-durable retailer Abans PLC’s National Long-Term Rating to Negative from Stable. Fitch has simultaneously affirmed the National Long-Term Rating at ‘BBB+(lka)’, the ‘BBB+(lka)’ rating on Abans’ outstanding senior unsecured debentures and the ‘F2(lka)’ National Short-Term Rating on its commercial paper. The […]
‘s Central Bank reduces bank rate
Apr 16, 2020 (LBO) – The Monetary Board of the Central Bank at its meeting held yesterday, having observed the cumulative reduction of the key policy interest rates of SDFR and SLFR by 200 basis points each since 31 May 2019, has decided to allow the bank rate to automatically adjust in line with the […]
ADB triples COVID-19 response package to USD20Bn
Apr 14, 2020 (LBO) – The Asia Development Bank (ADB) has tripled the size of its response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to US20 billion dollars and approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance. The package expands ADB’s $6.5 billion initial response announced on 18 March, adding $13.5 […]
South Asia must ramp up COVID-19 action to protect people, revive economies
Apr 14, 2020 (LBO) – Amid the mounting human toll and global economic fallout triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, South Asian governments must ramp up action to curb the health emergency, protect their people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, and set the stage now for fast economic recovery, says the World Bank in its […]
‘ risks to persist despite regulatory measures: Fitch Ratings
Apr 08, 2020 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings believes that the extraordinary regulatory measures announced by the central bank – focusing on the relaxation of capital expectations and classification of loans for banks – should relieve immediate pressure on the banks’ financial profiles, but will not prevent medium-term deterioration. Statement from Fitch Ratings Fitch recently revised […]
‘s growth prospects, Projected to fall to 2.2-pct in 2020: ADB
Apr 03, 2020 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) flagship annual economic publication, the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2020, forecasts significant headwinds for Sri Lanka’s economy as it fights the spread of COVID-19, which comes less than 12 months after the terror attacks in April 2019. Sri Lanka’s economic growth is projected to fall to […]
Coronavirus intensifies pressure on Sri Lanka Finance Companies: Fitch Ratings
Apr 03, 2020 (LBO) – The coronavirus outbreak and the resultant prolonged business disruptions will put additional pressure on Sri Lankan finance and leasing companies’ (FLCs) earnings and asset quality, says Fitch Ratings. The ultimate economic and financial market implications of the outbreak are unclear, while Fitch considers the risks to NBFIs’ credit profiles to […]
ComBank deploys mobile units in curfew areas
Apr 01, 2020 (LBO) – The Commercial Bank of Ceylon of Ceylon has announced it is deploying its ‘Bank-on-Wheels’ Mobile ATM units in areas where curfews are in force, to provide urgently needed access to cash to members of the public. The Bank said a schedule containing details of the locations and times that these […]