‘s forex reserves fal to US$5.5bn in Feb 2012: data

May 6, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves fell to 5,552 million US dollars at the end of February 2012, down 32 percent from a peak of 8,098 million US dollars in July 2011, official data shows. Sri Lanka’s reserves fell steeply during the second half of 2011 credit taken by state enterprises to […]

Sri Lanka Hilton property in US$45mn upgrade: report

May 06, 2012 (LBO) – Hotel Developers Ltd, a state-run property where Colombo’s Hilton is housed will go a 45 million US dollar refurbishment, as it gears up to meet competition from spruced up city hotels, a media report said. Hotel Developers was one of the firms that was expropriated by the state through a […]

‘s Asia Leisure in Japan tie for beach resort

May 05, 2012 (LBO) – Teoria Investment Company Limited, a Japan based company is investing two million US dollars in a beach resort built by Sri Lanka’s Asia Leisure, which is seeking partners for new hotels, officials said. “We need to raise seven-to-eight million dollars each (for each hotel), to start projects in Galle and […]

Japanese deputy premier tours Sri Lankan hydro power plant

May 5, 2012 (LBO) –Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada, began his second day in Sri Lanka on Saturday touring the island’s last hydro power plant that is being built with Japanese assistance. Accompanied by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, Okada inspected the 150 megawatte Upper Kotmale hydro power project, that is scheduled to finish […]

Sri Lankan lantern makers feel the pinch from Chinese rivals

May 5, 2012 (LBO) – They are round in shape, colourful, sturdy, covered with cloth, with a little Buddhist flag competing for attention among pictures of pretty flowers. Chinese lanterns have slipped into Sri Lanka’s Vesak market threatening to dislodge the traditional paper lanterns. Colourful Tradition Colourful hexagon lanterns in many homes and places of […]

Sri Lanka interest rates move up, liquidity tighter

May 04, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s overnight interest rate hovered nearer to a recently hiked policy rates Friday amid tighter liquidity, supporting its exchange rate and bond yields spiked, a day earlier, dealers said. A 2-year bond maturing on March 01, 2014 rose was quote around 12.75.13.00 percent. A 4-year bond maturing on August […]

Sri Lankan shares weak

May 4, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices closed the week in the red on Friday, with large trades in conglomerate John Keells Holdings and computer parts vendor, PC House, brokers said. Colombo’s 240-tracker All Share Price Index slipped 7.33 points or 0.13 percent to close at 5,382.14, while the liquid Milanka Price Index […]

Sri Lanka raises taxes on foreign milk powder

May 04, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s finance ministry said it has raised taxes on imported milk powder by a further 15 percent or 92 rupees a kilogram, pushing up prices further as domestic dairy farmers threw away fresh milk saying there was no demand. Import taxes work by inflicting harm of the poorest sections […]

SriLankan extends wings to Jaffna Peninsula

May 04, 2012 (LBO) – SriLankan Airlines on Friday extended wings to the northern tip of the island, opening a branch in the Jaffna Peninsula. The state-run airline said the office will facilitate travel arrangements for a large clientele in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi areas. Considering the increasing customer base for air travel to and […]

Sri Lanka exports grow 7.6-pct in Feb

May 04, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports grew 7. 6 percent from a year earlier to 878 million US dollars in February 2012 with tea exports falling and apparels barely growing, while imports powered ahead, official data showed. In the first two months of the year exports grew only 3. 3 percent to 1.79 […]

” ratings confirmed: Fitch

May 04, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has to persist with reducing its budget gap and tighten monetary policy further if needed to ward off balance payments pressure, Fitch Ratings which confirmed a sovereign rating at ‘BB-‘ said. The outlook on the rating was ‘stable’. “The ratings reflect Fitch’s view that the authorities have taken […]

Sri Lanka hikes prices of cooking gas, milk powder, cement

May 4, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka on Friday raised prices of cooking gas, milk powder and cement, after a weak rupee, tax hike and higher energy prices raised costs. The price of a 12.5 kilo liquefied petroleum gas cylinder goes up by 350 rupees to 2,396 rupees from midnight Friday, Internal Trade Minister Johnston […]

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