Category:
India mission to Mars blasts off successfully
NEW DELHI, November 5, 2013 (AFP) – India’s first mission to Mars blasted off on Tuesday as the country aims to become the only Asian nation to reach the Red Planet with a programme showcasing its low-cost space technology.A study of data from Curiosity published in September found the rover had detected only trace elements […]
‘s HNB Assurance net down 9-pct in September
Nov 05, 2013 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s HNB Assurance dropped 9 percent to 50.4 amid higher claims, despite seeing strong revenue growth, interim accounts showed. The firm reported earnings of 1.00 rupee per share for the quarter.In the nine months to September the firm reported earnings of 3.10 rupees, on total profits of […]
Sri Lanka fruit and vegetable exports led by banana and cassava
Nov 05, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s fruit and vegetable exports have been led by banana and cassava in recent years, which are grown commercially in large extents of land, which is vital to grow the industry, an official said.But analyst warn that such coercive measures will give rulers more legitimacy to undermine citizen’s liberties […]
Pressure mounts on Indian PM to boycott Commonwealth meet
NEW DELHI, November 4, 2013 (AFP) – A senior Indian minister Monday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boycott a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka over human rights abuses, joining opposition in government ranks to the trip.Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan said she wanted Singh to consider the “strong sentiments” of ethnic Tamils and stay away […]
Sri Lanka stocks closed down 0.4-pct
Nov 04, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka stocks closed 0.45 percent lower dragged down by falling leasing and property stocks amid a broad sell-off, brokers said. The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index closed 26.95 points lower at 5,927.41, down 0.45 percent, after reaching an intra-day high of 5,954.70. The S&P SL20 closed 6.02 points […]
Vehicle Trend
Nov 04, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s new vehicles registrations slowed across the board in September 2013 from a month earlier, though two wheelers showed growth, an analysis by an equities research house showed.New motor car sales which have been climbing for four straight months from 1,887 in June to 2,559 in August fell to […]
Sri Lanka in Sea Dream mega-yacht cruise itinerary
Nov 04, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has been included in the Indian Ocean itinerary of boutique US-based boutique cruise firm, Sea Dream Yacht Club, which caters to upmarket travellers using mega-yachts.The firm is represented in Sri Lanka by Helanka Vacations.The next Sea Dream cruise covering India, Sri Lanka and Singapore is scheduled for April […]
Sri Lanka Ports Authority container throughput up 8-pct
Nov 04, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Ports Authority has seen an 8 percent increase in containers handled up to October with volumes topping 2.0 million containers by October, an official said.Sri Lanka Ports Authority owns and operates the Jaye container terminal in Colombo. SLPA operations director Upali Soyza said its terminal had handled 2,066,000 […]
‘s Trans Asia Hotel net down 10-pct
Nov 04, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Trans Asia Hotel Plc, which owns Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand Hotel said profits fell 10 percent to 194 million rupees in the September 2013 quarter from a year earlier.The firm reported earnings of 97 cents per share.For the six months to September the firm reported earnings of 1.58 rupees […]
More Equal
LONDON, November 3, 2013 (AFP) – Britain is scrapping a plan to force visitors from six “high-risk” countries to pay a cash bond of £3,000 (US ,800, 3,500 euros), the interior ministry said on Sunday.Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, told BBC television in September that he was “absolutely not interested in a bond […]
‘s Eden Hotel buys 76-room resort
Nov 03, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Eden Hotel Lanka Plc said it is buying a 76-room resort for 1.5 billion rupees from LOLC Leisure, its holding company. The company has six acres of land. In January 2012, LOLC group said it bought Dickwella Resort and Spa for 1,014 million rupees. Corrected Dickwella Resorts and […]
Outlook Cut
Nov 02, 2013 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has lowered the outlook on Sanasa Development Bank’s ‘BB+(lka)’ rating from ‘positive’ to ‘stable’. “The revision of the Outlook on SDB reflects an unexpected deterioration in its credit profile,” Fitch Ratings said. “SDB has failed to sustain the improvement in its capitalisation and to maintain its asset quality […]