Moderate Safety

August 14, 2007 (LBO) – Lanka Rating Agency (LRA) has confirmed the long-term rating of Sri Lanka’s LB Finance Ltd at BBB3, with a stable outlook. The short-term rating has also been confirmed at L3 An LRA statement said the ratings were based on LB Finance’s “improving financial performance and adequate asset quality” but were […]

Banking Profit

Aug 14, 2007 (LBO) – Sampath Bank said Tuesday group after tax profit rose 22.5 percent to 329.6 million rupees for the quarter ending June 30, 2007. The group’s income was up 42 percent to 4.3 billion rupees from 3.0 billion, according to its results released to the stock exchange. The group’s interest income rose […]

Chock Full

August 13, 2007 (LBO) – Congestion in Asian ports like Colombo is affecting cargo flows to the United States and ship schedules with the squeeze expected to continue into the next year, a body representing major shipping lines has said. Forward bookings suggest that the trend will continue into August, and retailers forecasts record eastbound […]

Car Drive

August 13, 2007 (LBO) – HNB Assurance net profit after tax rose 17 percent to 10.9 million rupees for the second quarter ended June 2007 with revenue from motor insurance growing strongly. Gross written premium revenue for the period was up 32 percent to 322 million rupees, according to interim results. In the six months […]

Sri Lanka Tourist Hotels Association elects Cooray as president

August 12, 2007 (LBO) – The Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka has elected as its president Hiran Cooray of Jetwing Hotels, a tour operator with a chain of hotels that’s also promoting eco-tourism in a big way. Four vice presidents were also elected at the association’s annual general meeting representing different segments of the […]

Living Free

August 12, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government doctors have ordered more than two hundred luxury sports utility vehicles as a scheme to give duty-slashed vehicles to state workers gets under way. So far 1,200 applications for vehicles have been processed in a scheme to give 25,000 duty slashed vehicles to senior government workers, ETV’s […]

Chip Block

August 11, 2007 (LBO) – HSBC, Sri Lanka’s largest credit card issuer, has announced new technology to combat fraud but said its local acquiring network would be upgraded only in the first quarter of next year.In addition to the standard magnet strip, the new ‘smart’ cards issued from this month would have an embedded micro-processor […]

‘s rebel league

COLOMBO, Aug 10, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan cricket’s governing body on Friday threatened to ban any national player who took part in the breakaway multi-million dollar Indian Cricket League. Ex-Australian stars Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have dismissed claims by the ICL that they have already signed up but the duo continue to be […]

Sri Lanka apparel industry urged to focus on consumer concerns

August 10, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan apparel exporters have been advised to focus attention on the industry’s impact on the environment or ‘footprint’ and the chemical composition of its products in response to rising European consumer demands. The industry’s decision to specialise in the manufacture of intimate wear, lingerie and underwear is paying off […]

Cyber Tea

August 10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Tea Board has successfully completed the pilot run of an automated export document processing system that can speed up operations and has invited all exporters to get online. The system, designed and implemented by eServices Lanka, allows tea exporters to submit export documents for approval electronically without having to […]

Real Pros

Aug 10, 2007 (LBO) – One of Sri Lanka’s top professionals in the fast-growing telecommunications industry has advised his peers to stay in the island despite problems, saying developing economies have more change and opportunity. “The General System of Preferences (GSP) scheme the state achieved was due to our ethical corporate behavior and very good […]

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