Category: Special Reports

Lanka Tiles is trying to break a lquote lowering-revenue-increasing-cost cycle this year by shifting its raw material supply base from West to East and increasing production capacity.Lanka Tiles Ltd (LTL) is Sri Lankas pioneer floor tile producer, manufacturing ceramic glazed floor tiles as its core business and holds 30 percent of the local market.rn rnLast […]

But the industry is hard pressed to ride the crest, due to high costs to roll out refurbishment and expansion plans, as it is still recovering from a period of non-profitability.rn rnDespite political hiccups, the ongoing ceasefire agreement saw 500,642 tourists visit the island in 2003, spending over US$ 300 mn in the process.rn rnBoom […]

Development bank DFCC, is counting on its subsidiary Commercial Banks Bangladesh operations to give its bottomline a major boost.Thanks to its Bangladesh unit, Commercial Bank is expected to contribute Rs.539 mn towards DFCCs earnings, pushing its bottomline up by 10.3 percent to Rs. 1.2 bn for the 2004 financial year, says HNB Stockbrokers.rn rnIn the […]

John Keells Holdings is expected to notch a Rs. 1.69 bn net profit for 2004, after undergoing a restructuring exercise to improve its margins.The diversified conglomerate, has just finished a restructuring study by the Boston Consultancy Group, which has highlighted areas to exploit greater synergies and improve operating margins.rn rnFollowing the intense lquote inward looking […]

Sri Lanka has 216 state owned enterprises and fiscal transfers to these in 2001 amounted to a whopping US$ 446 million-about 3% of the islands GDP.Transfers to public corporations totaled US$ 43 million while statutory boards gobbled up US$ 244 million. rn rnWorld Bank says the problem is that these state enterprises are not held […]

It is past 9 in the evening. Most people would be kicking up their heels in front of the TV after a long days work.rnBut for a group of young employees at the call center Hello Corp. the days (nights!) work is just starting.rnThey work the night shift because their customers are on the other […]

ldblquote In a strategic move AHOT and Crescat Developments are to be merged by early February in order to take advantage of Crescat Developments BOI status, dblquote said HNB Stock Brokers in its January review of the group.rn rnThe Asian Hotels Corporation (AHOT) owns the Colombo Plaza Hotel and Crescat Developments and has controlling interest […]

Economists who measure and comment on growth generally ignore the political and social forces that have a heavy bearing on the economy. A century ago Max Weber, a founder of sociology observed that the ldblquote Protestant work ethic dblquote was what made northern Europe and America rich.rn rnThe Protestant work ethic emphasized thrift and willingness […]

Politics came to a head last week with a signing of a key alliance deal between the SLFP and the JVP. But commentators said cohabitation still remained the best available option. The SLFP-JVP alliance was quick to criticize the government but had little to offer in terms of alternative proposals.rn rnThe alliance remains sharply divided […]

Deregulation of motor insurance premiums has fuelled innovation and profits. rnUntil recently motor insurance was unprofitable due to regulation of premiums by the government. Private insurance companies were hesitant to sell motor insurance as a result.rnNow things have changed. The insurance companies now offer many benefits to motor insurance clients-like Ceylinco Insurances On the Spot […]

Computers started making an impact on business productivity and speed over two decades ago. Manufacturing companies were some of the first to get software packages to help them automate and better plan the process while enterprise wide deployment happened afterwards with Enterprise Resource Planning or ERPs.rn rnBut experts say the challenge is to get computer […]

Central Bank said it is leaving its growth forecast for next year unchanged at 6 percent despite continuing uncertainty in both the political and peace fronts.It however warned that prolonged uncertainty could jeopardize economic growth. rn rnThe wealth creators in the economy, the private sector, that saw higher returns on their investments in the last […]