Category: Industry
SLASSCOM and AWS collaborate to position Sri Lanka as hub for data science and AI
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – To position Sri Lanka as a hub for data science and artificial intelligence (AI) skills, the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM) today announced the launch of its knowledge and skills mission to train 50,000 engineering and non-engineering students in Sri Lanka. The students will receive training […]
Land prices in greater Colombo increase up to 64-pct: Lanka Property Web report
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – Demand for land in Thalahena, Gothatuwa and Kolonnawa are rising significantly, resulting in the highest percentage increases in land prices in Greater Colombo, according to a recently concluded study. LankaPropertyWeb.com analysed postings in its website to ascertain the change in asking prices for land in the Greater Colombo area. Thalahena […]
Sri Lankan banks face rising NPLs, capital pressure: Fitch Ratings
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks face further increases in non-performing loans (NPLs) this year as the macro-economic environment remains difficult, Fitch Ratings said in a new report. Weaker asset quality and earnings will add to pressure on capital, and many small and medium-sized banks still need to raise equity capital to meet […]
ComBank announces ‘Nil Margin’ LCs for vehicle permit holders
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched a scheme for government officers with vehicle permits, offering reduced interest rates on vehicle loans and leases and the opportunity to open Letters of Credit (LCs) without keeping a margin (nil margin). The Bank said permit holders can choose between a loan or lease at the lowest interest […]
People’s Bank will not be privatized: Finance Minister
Jun 26, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister says that the recent news report in the media quoting an opposition Parliamentarian to the effect that the People’s Bank is to be privatized is completely false and misleading. Certain political parties and the Trade Union affiliated to those parties had alleged the government is to […]
Yarl Geek Challenge and Arima Technologies Bringing Silicon Valley to Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah “That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, a much used saying originating from the 19th Century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. While perhaps over-dramatic and often not true, this does apply to the Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC). YGC is a competition I have observed and in a small way supported over the […]
Minister seeks cabinet intervention as consumer group charges CEB over salary hike
Jun 25, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Power Minister is reportedly to present a cabinet paper to obtain the approval of the cabinet to rectify the errors in relation to the creation of a Unified Engineering Service and related salary scales in the state-owned Ceylon Electricity Board. The move came after the Appeal Court on […]
Comm Bank commences acceptance of LankaPay-JCB cards
Jun 25, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become one of the first banks in Sri Lanka to have its point-of-sale (POS) network accept LankaPay-JCB (Japan Credit Bureau) co-branded cards issued under the national card scheme programme. This follows the integration of Commercial Bank and the LankaPay Common POS Switch System […]
Hyrax Oil lubricant blending plant declared open in Muthurajawela
Jun 24, 2019 (LBO) – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared open the Hyrax Oil lubricant blending plant in Muthurajawela today. The is the second of its kind which has been built outside Malaysia by Hyrax Oil with a 30 million US dollar investment. The plant is a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) investment and the […]
ICRA Lanka assigns AAA rating with stable outlook to National Savings Bank
Jun 24, 2019 (LBO) – ICRA Lanka Limited has assigned the issuer rating of [SL] AAA with stable outlook to National Savings Bank. Rationale The rating takes note of the 100% Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) ownership, which provides a strong likelihood of sovereign support and, the 100% explicit guarantee provided by the Government of […]
200 MICE travelers from Chennai arrived Sri Lanka
Jun 24, 2019 (LBO) – SriLankan Airlines in an effort to improve tourism between India and Sri Lanka organized a MICE promotions activity by bringing in 200 travelers from Chennai last week. Accordingly, a group of travelers from Chennai arrived Sri Lanka in a fact-finding mission to promote Sri Lanka as a safe destination to […]
Access Engineering (AEL) director sells Rs400mn worth of stock
June 22, 2019 (LBO) – Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) listed Access Engineering (AEL) in a stock market disclosure reported that a non-executive director had sold a significant amount of his shares. Ranjan Gomez has sold 30,000,000 shares at a price of Rs13.2/share. Total proceeds from the sale of shares is approximately Rs400mn. As of March […]