Category: Industry
Bank Rating
Aug 02, 2010 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka said it has downgraded Commercial Bank’s National Long-term rating to ‘AA(lka)’ from ‘AA+(lka)’ and its individual rating to ‘D/E’ from ‘D’ with a stable outlook. The agency has also downgraded the rating on the bank’s subordinated debentures to ‘AA-(lka)’ from ‘AA(lka)’ and simultaneously confirmed its Support rating […]
Bank Numbers
Aug 02, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank net profit for the June 2010 quarter rose 7. 5 percent to 1.2 billion rupees from a year ago with a sharp fall in interest expenses, a stock exchange filing said. Total income was down 10 percent to 9. 9 billion rupees in the quarter, the […]
Sri Lanka insurer to cover graduate study
Aug 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Chartis Insurance has tied up with an information technology school to cover degree study costs of students who lose support owing to the loss of their parent or guardian, officials said. In the event of accidental death or dismemberment affecting a parent or guardian, the student will receive […]
Call Charges
Aug 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom has changed its tariff plans for new ‘Citylink’ fixed wireless telephone connections with a rate of one rupee a minute for outgoing calls within its own network for prepaid subscribers. SLT said in a statement the charges for the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) fixed wireless telephone […]
Credit Flow
LONDON, August 1, 2010 (AFP) – British banks must use first-half profits to boost lending to businesses, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said in an interview on Sunday, ahead of key results for the nation’s top lenders. “But the industry’s ability to support the economy needs to be considered as the increased capital and […]
Sri Lanka rupee appreciation a concern, exporters say
July 31, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters have urged the government not to allow the rupee to appreciate as it would erode their competitiveness. Exporters’ Association chairperson Nirmalie Samarathunga said they were bracing for the loss of duty free market access to Europe after a trade deal with the European Union ends in August. […]
Sri Lanka gets more Emirates flights to Male
July 31, 2010 (LBO) – Emirates is to increase the frequency of flights between Sri Lanka and the Maldives to cater to increasing tourist traffic, a statement said. These flights will be served by Emirates’ Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration, with 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 183 […]
Sri Lanka travel warning removed by Britain
July 31, 2010 (LBO) – The British government has removed a travel warning on Sri Lanka advising against visits to the former northern war zone, following the withdrawal of previous travel warnings in the rest of the island. A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) statement said it no longer advised against all travel to […]
Sri Lanka-Japan free trade deal possible: statement
July 30, 2010 (LBO) – Japan is willing to consider a request by Sri Lanka for a free trade deal between the two countries, a foreign affairs ministry statement said. Japan has also been one of Sri Lanka’s biggest donors and lenders, helping to fund infrastructure like ports and highways. “The government of Japan will […]
Sri Lanka decides against more coal power
July 30, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government has decided to change its coal-based power generation plan and not go for more coal plants and instead shift towards renewable energy, power minister Patali Ranawaka said. The previous generation plan envisaged adding about 200 megawatts a year of coal based power plants, he said. A […]
LBO-LBR CEO Forum
July 30, 2010 (LB0) – Recently imposed floor prices on mobile users by the regulator can be removed within two years, while celco operators have themselves to blame for pushing the sector deep into the red, a senior executive said. “None of us are saying that having an anti-market instrument like floor prices is a […]
Lower Profits
July 30, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s PABC Bank’s net profit for the June 2010 quarter fell 60 percent to 83 million rupees from a year earlier, despite lower loan loss provisions, as fee income fell steeply. Interest income fell 17 percent to 704 million rupees amid a falling rate environment and interest expenses fell […]