Category: Industry
Foreign Policy
HAMBANTOTA, August 15, 2010 (AFP) – A China-funded port in Sri Lanka will be a symbol of Colombo’s non-partisan foreign policy, the president said Sunday amid Indian concerns over Beijing’s interests in the region. President Mahinda Rajapakse marked a key milestone in the construction of the 1.5 billion-dollar port in the southern Sri Lankan town […]
Electronic Snooping
SAN FRANCISCO, August 16, 2010 (AFP) – Clashes between the maker of Blackberry smart phones and India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the latest rounds in a cat-and-mouse game pitting authorities against technologies racing beyond their grasp. “Governments can go to the extreme of simply banning such technologies, but the economic ramifications […]
Supermarket Sweep
Aug 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s largest supermarket chain Cargills (Ceylon) group June quarter profits rose 92.3 percent to 312 million rupees from higher sales, better margins and lower finance costs, a stock exchange filing said. Group revenues rose 20.6 percent to 8.94 billion rupees from a year ago while sales cost rose at […]
Sri Lanka KumbukRiver named among top 20 spectacular hotels
Aug 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s KumbukRiver has been included in a list of the world’s top 20 most unusual hotels, just announced by an international portal dedicated to the unusual and the audacious, a statement said. The list includes Dubai’s landmark Burj al Arab and the Galactic, the first-ever hotel in space, the […]
Housing Profits
Aug 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank group June 2010 quarter profits fell 96 percent to 5.3 million rupees from a year ago owing to lower revenues and higher finance costs, interim results showed. HDFC group’s gross assets rose 6.7 percent to 15.1 billion rupees. The state-owned HDFC Bank […]
Sri Lankan exporters brace for life without EU tax breaks
DANKOTUWA, August 15, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lankan exporters braced for hard times as the EU’s withdrawal of import concessions took effect Sunday after Colombo’s refusal to allow scrutiny of its human rights record. Sri Lanka has long been a preferred source for top high streets brands and its garment, china and other exports enjoyed […]
Mobile Switch
Aug 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom’s June 2010 net profit shot up 105 percent to 769 million rupees from a year ago as earnings from its mobile unit and broadband made up for falling voice revenues, a stock exchange filing said. Basic earnings per share rose to 0.43 rupees from 0.21 rupees the […]
Sri Lanka renewable energy drive seen hurt by red tape
Aug 14, 2010 (LBO) – Premature cancellation of projects and complex and lengthy approval procedures are retarding the development of renewable energy like mini-hydro power in Sri Lanka, an official said. “The government has set up the SEA which is now helping us to overcome problems and trying to streamline the process of granting approvals. […]
SriLankan Airlines to get more aircraft, increase flights
Aug 13, 2010 (LBO) – SriLankan Airlines is planning to support the country’s rapidly-growing tourism industry with a planned increase in worldwide flights and to acquire two more aircraft this year, a statement said. The national carrier plans additional capacity to Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Rome, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Karachi and many cities in […]
LBR-LBO CEO Forum
Aug 13, 2010 (LBO) – Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka’s top celco which is turning around after heavy losses last year, had anticipated sales to come down due to economic slowdown, but did not see a price war coming, a senior official said. “It was the fact that an economic downturn and a price war both […]
Sri Lanka July tourist arrivals up 50-pct
Aug 13, 2010 (LBO) – Tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka surged by 50 percent in July 2010 to 63,339 from a year ago as post-war optimism and removal of travel advisories encouraged visitors even during the off-season, latest data shows. The increase in the number of visitors was driven largely by more arrivals from Western […]
Warranted Profits
Aug 13, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Environmental Resources Investments (ERI) made a profit of 44 million rupees in the June quarter from higher sales from Ceylon Leather Products Limited (CLPL) and a brokering firm acquisition, its interim results showed. The move followed unusual price swings and heavy trading in certain stocks including ERI warrants. […]