Category: Banking and Finance
Sri Lanka’s CIFL awaits response from German investor for bailout
Sept 23, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s troubled Central Investment and Finance Company says they are awaiting a response from a prospective German investor indicating their future plan of action to revive CIFL. In a stock exchange filing, the company said they submitted all clarifications to the investor delegation who visited the island recently. A […]
Commercial Bank launches new series of ‘Cash Deposit & Withdrawal’ machines
(PRESS RELEASE) – The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched a new generation of machines that offersseveral new advancements on the standard ATMs and deposit machines, including cash deposits that are credited instantly. Sri Lanka’s largest private bank said it will beinstalling ‘Cash Deposit & Withdrawal’ machinesin stages within its 251 strong branch network. Card-less […]
LankaPay says USD Online crosses Rs. 1.8bn mark
Sep 14, 2016 (LBO) – Payment network LankaPay says they will continue to expand services towards better financial inclusivity and is keen on expanding their core product offering. “Customers can expect more along these lines of innovations in the near future,” Channa de Silva, LankaClear chief executive officer and general manager said. “In addition to […]
Sri Lanka budget deficit to be 4.7-pct in 2017, FinMin tells IMF
Sep 14, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister said that the island plans on reducing the budget deficit to 4.7 percent in 2017. “We had a budget deficit of 6.7 percent of the GDP last year and this year’s target will be 5.4 percent. it will be further reduced to 4.7 percent in 2017,” […]
Sri Lanka Sampath Bank gets new MD
Sep 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sampath Bank Sri Lanka named Nanda Fernando as it’s new Managing Director following the retirement of Aravinda Perera. Nanda Fernando was Chief Operating Officer of the bank and has been with the bank since its founding, the bank said in a stock exchange filing. He will assume duties from 13 […]
Central Bank says no new licenses for finance companies
Sept 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank says it will not issue new licenses for finance companies and, as a result, licenses of existing companies will have a higher market value in the future. Releasing a statement, the Central Bank said this is a key factor in encouraging new investors. A good number […]
Opinion: Big banks exploit countries like Sri Lanka, probe finds
Sept 07, 2016 (LBO) – Big banks have turned to the powerful worldwide legal system and commandeered it for profit, exploiting countries like Sri Lanka in the process, according to a Buzzfeed probe. In 2006, big international banks presented officials who ran Sri Lanka’s state oil venture with a way to hedge against further price […]
Uber launches cash payment for rides in Sri Lanka
Sep 06, 2016 (LBO) – Uber, the smartphone app that connects riders to drivers, has launched cash payments as an option in Colombo giving users options to choose between credit or debit cards or cash when paying. “We know that cash is still the dominant payment option for people around the world, especially in emerging […]
Sri Lanka seals USD100mn credit from World Bank for economic reforms
Sep 05, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka signed a 100 million US dollar credit from the International Development Association (IDA), an arm of the World Bank, today to support economic reforms in the island. “This program will support the Sri Lankan Government’s commitment to unleash the potential of Sri Lankan enterprises to grow, become more […]
IFC ready to finance Sri Lankan private sector projects
Sep 01, 2016 (LBO) – The International Finance Corporation, a part of the World Bank group, is ready to finance Sri Lanka’s private sector projects by providing mid to long term loans through a multiple of financing methods, an official said. “The loan component for potential partners would start from around 3 million US dollars […]
HNB approves USD50 mln share issue to ADB, up to 9.9 pct stake
Sept 01, 2016 (LBO) – The Hatton National Bank PLC board has approved issuing shares for 50 million dollars to the Asian Development Bank by way of a private placement, making the development lender a strategic investor. “The proceeds of the issue of shares by private placement as aforementioned will be utilized for the purpose […]
Sri Lankan rupee steady after cbank chief allays fears of upward pressure
COLOMBO, Aug 31 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee traded steady on Wednesday, a day after the country’s Central Bank Governor Indrajith Coomaraswamy said the currency was not under upward pressure as capital inflows had not been of sufficient magnitude to exert such pressure. Dealers said the rupee could appreciate if the central bank does […]