Category: Industry
‘s Galadari Hotel to convert debt into equity
May 19, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s heavily indebted Galadari Hotel plans to convert debt into equity in an effort to take advantage of the tourism boom after the end of the island’s ethnic war. A stock exchange filing said the hotel will convert into shares 5. 75 billion rupees (52 million US dollars) owed […]
Travel industry looks to China, India, Brazil for boom
LAS VEGAS, May 18, 2011 (AFP) – China, India and Brazil are poised to fuel an explosion in international tourism in the coming years, showering money and jobs on countries ready for it, and trouble for those that aren’t, industry leaders say. With an estimated two billion new middle class consumers expected to come into […]
Sri Lanka win England tour opener
LONDON, May 16, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka enjoyed a successful warm-up ahead of their Test series against England with a four-wicket win over Middlesex on the third and final day of their tour opener at Uxbridge on Monday. Several batsmen spent time in the middle, Thilan Samaraweera leading the way with 49, as Sri […]
Stumbling Block
May 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan celcos are showing signs of recovering from cut throat competition and soaring inflation a few years ago, but experts say the recovery is short lived as the sector has already hit its next stumbling block. Shorter life spans in emerging technologies and ill advised expansion plans are the […]
Health Business
May 16, 2011 (LBO) – Lanka Hospitals, formerly part of the Indian Apollo chain and now par-owned by India’s Fortis group, said March 2011 quarter net profit rose 81 percent to 65.2 million rupees from a year ago. The Lanka Hospitals Corporation said in a stock exchange filing sales for the quarter rose 31 percent […]
Easier Borrowing
May 16, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks will soon be able to lend against moveable property with a new initiative by the Credit Information Bureau (CRIB), an official said. The CRIB plans to set up a ‘secured transaction registry’ from June 01, 2011 that will enable registration of moveable assets against which banks can […]
Bank Numbers
May 16, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s National Development Bank group said March 2011 quarter net profit doubled to 605 million rupees from a year ago as lending and deposits grew and it contained bad loans. Interest income fell two percent to 2.5 billion rupees while interest expenses fell four percent to 1.4 billion rupees […]
Box Trends
May 16, 2011 (LBO) – Container cargo at Sri Lanka’s main port of Colombo, south Asia transhipment hub, rose in the first quarter of this year indicating continued growth in regional and domestic trade. Ship traffic at Colombo port rose eight percent to 376 in March 2011 from a year and grew 4.3 percent to […]
Bank Numbers
May 13, 2011 (LBO) – Bank of Ceylon, Sri Lanka’s biggest state-owned lender, said March 2011 quarter net profit shot up 163. 1 percent to almost 2.2 billion rupees from a year ago with interest income rising much faster than interest costs. Basic earnings per share rose 163.1 percent to 1,749 rupees, the bank’s interim […]
Ship Building
May 13, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan ship builder Colombo Dockyard said March 2011 quarter net profit rose 78. 4 percent to 467 million rupees from a year ago with gains from both ship building and repair. The Dockyard filing said that with effect from January 01, 2011, that it has recognised additional revenue of […]
‘s Murali confirmed to play in New Zealand
WELLINGTON, May 13, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lankan spin king Muttiah Muralitharan is to play in New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 competition next season after a deal was confirmed with the Wellington Firebirds on Friday. Muralitharan, who holds the records for the most wickets in Tests and one-day internationals, is honouring a commitment made to former […]
Sri Lanka launches own T20 league
May 12, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s cricket board on Thursday announced its own glitzy Twenty20 tournament, seeking to emulate the success of the hugely popular Indian Premier League. The first edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be played over 18 days from July 19 and will feature teams from the island’s […]