Category: Industry
United States Delivers USD40 Mn to Support Small Businesses & Empower Sri Lankan Women
The United States has provided $40 million in financing to SDB Bank in order to bolster Sri Lanka’s Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME) sector and assist women entrepreneurs. The loan is part of $265 million in funding the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is providing to Sri Lankan banks, including SDB Bank, DFCC […]
Total motor vehicle registrations fall to a decade low in 2020: report
Total motor vehicle registrations of 2020, hit the lowest for the last decade and even lower than the registrations recorded in 2009 when the world experienced the global financial crisis, a new report highlighted. Motor Vehicle Industry Report released by the Economic Intelligence Unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce covering key trends in 2019 […]
Weak Operating Environment Continues to Pressure Sri Lankan Banks’ Ratings: Fitch
Heightened risks from the challenging operating environment stemming from the Sri Lanka sovereign’s (CCC) weak credit profile and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic continue to pressure the ratings of large Sri Lankan banks, says Fitch Ratings in a new report. Large banks’ financial performance since the pandemic’s onset has been better than we expected, supported by […]
Standard Chartered wins ‘Most Responsive Bank against COVID-19’ Award from ADB
Standard Chartered affirmed its position as one of the largest trade finance counter parties of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), winning the ‘Most Responsive Bank against COVID-19’ Award at the Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program Awards 2021. The Bank won the award for its partnership with ADB to finance the import of 15.4 million […]
PickMe partners with LankaQR to reduce the Dollar outflow
PickMe recently partnered with LankaQR to facilitate direct payments. LankaQR (LQR) is a common Quick Response (QR) code standard adopted by financial institutions in Sri Lanka to facilitate fast, secure and low-cost digital payments to any merchant, especially small and medium enterprises. It enables customers to pay merchants directly from their bank accounts (CASA) and […]
First Capital Looks to Future Growth with a Performance First Outlook
First Capital Holdings PLC, a Janashakthi Group Company with over 35 years of industry knowledge, recently concluded its Annual General Meeting presenting the Annual Report 2020-21 on the theme of ‘Performance First’ to its shareholders. The group recorded an exceptional year reaching new financial and non-financial performance milestones, recording Rs. 2.09 billion in Profits After […]
‘s Basel III Sub Debt A-(lka)(EXP)
Fitch Ratings has assigned the proposed Basel III-compliant subordinated unsecured debentures of Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank PLC (NDB, A+(lka)/Stable) an expected National Long-Term Rating of ‘A-(lka)(EXP)’. The proposed debentures will total up to LKR8 billion with maturities of five and seven years, and will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. NDB plans to […]
Sri Lankan import restrictions at odds with WTO rules hurt welfare of citizens: Economists
A panel of eminent economists urged that the Government take credible and decisive action to carry out immediate trade reforms. Advocata’s Academic Chair Dr. Sarath Rajapatirana, emphasised that “Countries that have grown very fast, especially in east asia have understood the importance of trade reform”. Further adding that the first step of such a reform […]
SriLankan Airlines launches flights to Paris
SriLankan Airlines unveils flights to the French capital, Paris. SriLankan‛ s new service will operate scheduled flights between Colombo‛s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and France‛s Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) from 1st November 2021. Accordingly, SriLankan would commence thrice weekly, non-stop flights to France every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday using a fleet of Airbus […]
Government must take meaningful steps without compromising international friendship: Eran
With the corona epidemic and mismanagement of the economy, the country is now facing a Trinity of crises which cannot be cured by this government due to its intrinsic nature of mismanagement said Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Eran Wickramaratne. Addressing a press conference held at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo today, the Member of […]
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Fitch Ratings has assigned Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC’s (CB, AA-(lka)/Stable) proposed Sri Lankan rupee-denominated Basel III-compliant subordinated debentures of up to LKR10 billion a final National Long-Term Rating of ‘A(lka)’. The final ratings are the same as the expected ratings assigned on 24 June 2021 (and subsequently affirmed on 3 August 2021) and follow […]
Sri Lanka needs new water and sanitation policies to unlock investment barriers
Comprehensive policies will improve community access, increase focus on sanitation and investment A new policy could tackle urbanisation challenges for inclusive and sustainable water and sanitation management It can also open new investment approaches to bridge the large financing gaps as the country prepares to rise above the impact of COVID-19 Meeting Sri Lanka’s rapidly […]