Category: Industry
On the back of IT
Leading IT companies including Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Intel are planning to open offices here on the back of one opened by Microsoft, a top bureaucrat told LBR.Three large call center projects are also slated for launch within next two months, one a captive center for a top insurance firm and two by leading Business […]
Chartered Standards
Institute of Charted Accountants is working on two new accounting standards to improve disclosure and measurement of complex financial instruments, at the heart of spectacular bankruptcies in the US.Accountants say these two standards modeled on IAS 32 and 39 will make reporting on derivatives more transparent.rn rnThe complex nature of derivative and other financial instrument […]
Precautious Bank
Peoples Bank provided a massive Rs. 1.7 bn for its property portfolio to comply in advance with a new Central Bank ruling.Provisions for bad debts by banks are made after deducting the value of the collateral for the loan.rn rnUnder the new mandatory haircuts announced by the regulator, banks will only be allowed to setoff […]
High Jump
Mobile operator Celltel Lanka signed up for a US$ 21 mn syndicated loan to deploy its network islandwide by August.Under the fifth phase, Celltels GSM network will add 85 new coverage sites and increase present coverage by 250 percent.rn rnldblquote We will have coast to coast coverage, with capacity to add a new switching system […]
Phone Bill
Full year 2003 revenues for SLT gained marginally, dispelling industry forecasts for a drop driven by halved IDD billings, but closed with a 16 per cent fall in net profits. Group net profit was at Rs. 2.38 billion, down from Rs. 2.68 billion in 2002 mainly due to a Rs. 710 million voluntary retirement scheme […]
Good Show
The advertising industry is riding the spending wave from the last two years of economic growth and the SLIM awards organisers are looking at maintaining momentum despite new food advertising regulations coming in on April 1st.Advertising agencies say that most clients loosened budget strings last year and became more adventurous with advertising messages and methods […]
High Note
State-run Bank of Ceylon ended 2003 on a high note of Rs. 1.642 bn in net profits, even as revenues fell 7.5 percent to Rs. 22.034 bn.rnrnrnrn rn Highlights of financial statements as at endrnDec. 31, 2003rn rn rn rn rn Bank rn Group rn rn rn rn rn Dec. 03 Rs. mn rn Dec. […]
Zooming Up
Eagle Insurance Co.s Risk Management Division has secured international recognition for processes developed to execute products and services.Risk management is a Specialised Management technique that identifies an firms exposure to risk, give solutions for controlling it or put in place a mechanism to pay for losses should the risk escalate to a catastrophic incident.rn rnAn […]
Lanka Bell stuck in interconnection
The Court of Appeal on Thursday issued an interim order preventing the telecom watchdog from implementing Caller Party Pays (CPP) immediately.A fixed phone subscriber made the petition on the grounds that the regulator had failed to properly evaluate the negative effects of CPP and sufficiently inform the public.rn rnThe petition states that the Telecommunications Regulatory […]
It Stinks!
Although once lucky with SARS and twice lucky so far with the Avian Flu the next outbreak of a new infectious disease could push luck beyond its limits – but at this point Sri Lanka has very little but luck to count on.Sri Lanka is a high-risk candidate for foreign infectious diseases but the countrys […]
Lucky Strike
Technically insolvent Peoples Bank, kept its place in the Billionaires Club for the second year running, after providing a hefty Rs. 2.288 bn for bad debts in 2003.The state-run bank, which had its capital wiped off due to past politically motivated loans, saw its net profits jump 54.7 percent to Rs. 1.555 bn over Rs. […]
Interim Relief
The fresh decision reversed Central Banks earlier ruling to limit NDBs holding in the commercial banking entity to 25 per cent and is an interim measure until Parliament approves the merger. rn rnThe approval is also on condition that NDB will sell off all shares it buys above the 51 percent limit within a year. […]