Rate War

Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Stiff competition among major container shipping lines that has cut freight rates is likely to continue next year, helping Sri Lankan shippers facing a slowdown in demand in key markets, trade officials said. Alphaliner said recent realignments among big shipping lines with vessel sharing and slot exchange deals meant to […]

Director Stakes

Dec 30, 3011 (LBO) – Dinesh Weerakkody, has been appointed chairman of Commercial Bank of Ceylon after Mahendra Amarasuriya its highly respected long time chairman stepped down due to a now controversial central bank rule. Former Central Bank deputy governor Dharma Dheerasinghe was appointed deputy chairman, an official said. Amarasuriya stepped down despite a court […]

Sri Lanka expects US$850mn from tourism in 2011

Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka expects to earn 850 million US dollars from tourists in 2011 with annual arrivals expected to reach 830,000 an increase of 26 percent from a year earlier and the industry targeted a billion dollars next year, officials said. But an electronic visa process, which is promised to be […]

Knowledge Export

Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s information communications technology (ICT) industry is focusing more on value added software products and knowledge services where profits are higher, officials said. Over half the firms in the sector are building and exporting software products rather than providing services such as low-end call centres, they said. The services […]

‘s Sebi bars 7 companies from capital market

MUMBAI, Dec 30 (Asia Pulse) – India’s market regulator Sebi has barred several companies, their directors, merchant bankers and other related entities from participating in the securities market till further order for violating IPO norms. The merchant bankers who have been prohibited from participating securities market, include “PNB Investment Services, the book running lead manager […]

Sri Lanka must restore rule of law, says human rights body

Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to restore the rule of law and change its constitution that concentres too much power in the executive president who wields too much control over its citizens, the Asian Human Rights Commission said. “All Sri Lankans will wish that the coming year will not be like the […]

Sri Lanka December inflation rises to 4.9-pct

Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation rose to 4.9 percent in December 2011 from a year ago, going up from 4. 7 percent in November 2011, the state statistics office said. Annual average inflation for 2011 was 6. 7 percent compared with 6.2 percent the year before, according to a 12-month moving average. […]

Sri Lanka stocks close down

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed lower Thursday after four days of gains with more deals in a bank dominating turnover that remained at relatively low levels, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index eased 0.07 percent (4.01 points) to 6,089.38, while the more liquid Milanka index fell 0. 19 percent […]

Sri Lanka promises impartial probe on tourist killing

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka says investigations are continuing on an attack which left a British tourist killed and his Russian female friend injured with several suspects including a local politician of the ruling party being arrested, officials said. Sri Lanka’s deputy economic development minister Lakshman Abeywardene said the island’s defence secretary has […]

Sri Lanka India fishing dispute talks in Jan

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and India will hold talks on resolving a fishing dispute which escalated after the end of a 30-year war, when a joint working group meets in January. Fisheries minister Rajitha Senaratne said Sri Lanka will hold talks with an Indian delegation made up of state and central government […]

Hedging Cost

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) – A Singapore arbitrator has ordered Citibank to pay Sri Lanka’s state petroleum refiner 2.5 million US dollars as legal fees in an oil hedging deal dispute, a statement said. The arbitrator in August 2011 voided an oil hedging deal between Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Citibank, rejecting the bank’s demand for […]

Value Exports

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s earnings from information communications technology (ICT) services and products grew strongly this year after rising sharply last year, officials said. ICT and BPO (business process outsourcing) exports shot up 47 percent to 310 million US dollars in 2010-11 from the year before and will remain strong, a new […]

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