MH17 has strong echoes of 1983 Korean tragedy

SEOUL, July 23, 2014 (AFP) – The downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine has stirred memories of a 1983 incident when a Korean passenger jet was shot down by Soviet fighters in what then US president Ronald Reagan called a mid-air “massacre”.As with the Malaysian plane, the loss of life was total, with all […]

Submarine Plan

July 23, 2014 (LBO) – Subway, a US-based fast food franchise which launched in Sri Lanka this week is planning a 30-store chain in the island over the next five years, officials said. “All we see is an aggressive growth plan for Sri Lanka, it™s up to the local entrepreneurs to join with us for […]

Mortgage Gains

July 23, 2014 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s HDFC Bank, a mortgage lender, surged over five fold to 82 million rupees in the June 2014 quarter from a year earlier as borrowing costs fell, interim accounts showed. Defaulted loans are periodically settled against member balances. The bank reported earnings of 1.28 rupees per share […]

Cricket: South Africa aim to end Sri Lanka series jinx

COLOMBO, July 22, 2014 (AFP) – An upbeat South Africa will look to carry their winning momentum in the second Test against Sri Lanka beginning on Thursday, and break a 21-year-old jinx on the island.The Proteas, the current world number two, have not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since 1993 when they first […]

”’ rating confirmed

July 22, 2014 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings said it was confirming a ‘B’ issuer financial strength rating of Sri Lanka’s Asian Alliance Insurance Plc (AAIP). It also confirmed a National Insurer Financial Strength Rating and National Long-Term Rating of ‘BBB+(lka)’ with a stable outlook. Fitch said the rating reflected benefit that could come from being […]

Key Speaker

July 22, 2014 (LBO) – Alpesh Shah, a Senior Partner and Managing Director of the Indian Unit of the Boston Consulting Group, will address a business forum in Colombo in August.Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said Shah will speak at the upcoming ‘Sri Lanka Economic Summit’ on the topic of ‘Colombo as a Financial Hub at […]

Consolidation

July 22, 2014 (LBO) – George Steuart Finance Deshodaya Development Finance Limited (DDFC), has inked a deal to acquire George Steuart Finance Plc, which valued the licensed finance company at 500 million rupees. In the year to March, George Steuart Finance reported profits of 4.6 million rupees (45 cents per share) on interest income of […]

Sri Lanka 30MW hydro plant financed by ADB; protection for endangered fish

July 21, 2014 (LBO) – Asian Development Bank is financing a 30MegaWatt hydro plant with a 150 million US dollar credit, and the project will have measures to protect an endangered fish in the river.The Moragolla hydro power plant is estimated to generate 97.7 GigaWatt hours (millions of units of electricity) of energy a year, […]

Cricket: Steyn stars in big South Africa win

GALLE, July 20, 2014 (AFP) – Dale Steyn grabbed a match haul of 9-99 as South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka by 153 runs on the fifth and final day of the first Test on Sunday.Sangakkara was dropped on 65 but failed to take advantage of the reprieve, pulling Duminy to short midwicket where Amla took […]

Cricket: Sangakkara keeps alive Sri Lanka victory dream

GALLE, July 19, 2014 (AFP) – Kumar Sangakkara smashed his 49th half-century as Sri Lanka launched a stunning fightback on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa on Saturday. De Kock fell on the last ball before the break, lobbing an easy return catch to Perera. Opener Dean Elgar, who made 103 […]

‘s 50

GALLE, July 17, 2014 (AFP) – Rookie batsman Quinton de Kock hit a maiden half-century as South Africa moved to 331-7 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. De Kock, playing his second Test after making his debut in February, hit six fours in his promising 90-ball […]

Consolidation

July 17, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said it will acquire Indra Finance, a finance company linked to a top vehicle retailer for 870 million rupees. Indra Finance had 507 million rupees in equity 73 million rupees in profits and 2.0 billion rupees in assets according to the last balance sheet […]

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