Category: Special Reports

The governments privatisation arm is streamlining its internal processes and plans to list more state corporations on the Colombo bourse to spur capital market development.A quotation on the Colombo Stock Exchange infuses financial discipline, corporate governance and adds value to the transaction, says Manjula de Silva, Director General of the Public Enterprise Reform Commission.rn rn”It […]

Its fashionable to have an address at one of Colombos plush apartments these days. The government has fuelled the apartment craze by pushing lending institutions to offer cheap credit to meet the shortage of houses. As a result, price to rent ratios for apartments are currently topping 21 times. The sky-high rents are expected to […]

Colombos congested roads are not getting a break, with 3,000 new vehicles hitting the streets every month. Most of it is in the capital. Tax and excise on vehicle imports is a top revenue generator for the government. But critics say the countrys road infrastructure could soon start bursting at the seams if the current […]

Half the countrys population has electricity supplied by the main power grid. Authorities say they plan to raise this level to about 80 percent of the population within the next few years. However, drawing power lines to rural areas far from main cities is going to be difficult.rn rnExperts say that alternative ways to light […]

Over US$ 300mn in Foreign Direct Investment is expected by the end of the year, one of the highest inflows during recent years. The national investment promotion agency BOI says that the country is now attracting investments from all over the world with strong inflows from the Asian region.rnStrategies to attract investments are also seeing […]

Earnings for Taj Lanka Hotels Ltd., the owners of Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo and Taj Exotica Hotel in Bentota, are expected to top Rs.155 mn for the financial year 2003/4.rn rnLanka Orix Securities in a research report says Taj Lanka Ltd will also greatly benefit from the ongoing tourism boom and falling interest rates, […]

Following BCGs recommendations, JKH is building a new property development unit to push up returns from its extensive real estate holdings.rn rnWith a free float adjusted market capitalisation of US$ 157.9 mn after its recent bonus issue, JKH now qualifies to climb aboard the Morgan Stanley Capital Indexs Emerging Markets Index, says Hasitha Premaratne, Research […]

Following the legacy of the famous De Beers diamonds and Tahitian pearls, is a test bed range of branded lquote Sriya Ceylon sapphires, as Sri Lanka stakes its claim in world gem markets. Developed by a British designer and collectively sponsored by industry, this is Sri Lankas first attempt to brand its high quality and […]

But, Hasitha Premaratne, HNBs Research Manager says, the lack of liquidity and a low free float market capitalisation, is holding Hemas back from rubbing shoulders with other top conglomerates like the John Keells Holdings Group.rn rnClick here for full research report:rnAptly describing the Hemas Group as a lquote small wonder, HNB Stockbrokers talks about the […]

Top trade delegations from around the world will meet in the Mexican city of Cancun, at a meeting billed by many to be one that can drastically change world trade patterns.But developed and developing countries will have to agree on a large variety of issues from opening up their agricultural sectors to protecting intellectual property […]

Sri Lanka used to be the fifth largest rubber supplier to the world a few years ago. But synthetic rubber manufacturers took over the market as age-old production processes left natural rubber producers helpless. But now the industry is changing face.A locally manufactured industrial rubber has got oversea buyers ready to bargain.rn rnLankaprene rubber is […]

Its the most talked about conglomerate with diverse interest that reflects the Sri Lankan economy. The bluechip conglomerate is also the biggest stock currently listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. rnrnrnrnrnrnNew Page 1rnrnrnrnrn Butrnthis giant elephant is trimming the fat and rationalising operations under thernChairmanship of Vivendra Lintotawela. John Keells Holdings recently hired thernBoston Consultancy […]