Finance Growth

Nov 19, 2011 (LBO) – Profits at Sri Lanka’s Vallibel Finance, rose 157 percent to 60.1 million rupees in the September 2011 quarter from a year earlier, helped by strong loan growth and other income, interim accounts showed. Lost loss provisions rose 42 percent to 2.8 million rupees. Other income rose 195 percent to 25. […]

Malaysia sovereign fund to invest in India

MUMBAI, (Asia Pulse) – Khazanah Nasional, the sovereign wealth fund of the Malaysian government, plans to invest in sectors like financial services, infrastructure and energy in India in the near future. “We are looking at sectors like financial services, infrastructure and energy for investment in the near future,” Khazanah Nasional executive director Michael Jude Fernandes […]

Indian govt, to moot South Asian postal union

NEW DELHI, (AsiaPulse) – The Indian government is likely to discuss the proposal to form South Asian Postal Union, a move that will enhance regional cooperation and can lead to reduction of postal tariffs among SAARC member states. “The proposal to set up South Asian Postal Union (SAPU) is scheduled for discussion in the Cabinet […]

Lessons for Sri Lanka: Vietnam President Sang reveals secrets of FDI success

Nov 19, 2011 (LBO) – Vietnam’s remarkable success of drawing foreign direct investment, even from former foes involved in a bitter civil war, came from a combination of foreign and economic policy, Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang said. France, a former colonial power with which the first Indochina war was fought, has invested 2.9 billion […]

Sri Lanka rupee peg weakens slightly

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s currency weakened to 20 cents to 110. 40 rupees to the US dollar in the spot market Friday, with market quotes at 110.35/40 rupees dealers said. The central bank has been intervening steadily in forex markets. The rupee had come under some pressure over the past few months […]

Sri Lanka stocks end up 0.8-pct

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended higher for the second day running with turnover boosted by big chunks of a tile maker which changed hands at a premium, brokers said. Heavy trading in John Keells Holdings also bolstered turnover. It closed at 174.40 rupees, down 50 cents, with 1. 3 million shares […]

Rail Link

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has signed a deal with India to restore part of a northern railway line that was damaged during the ethnic war under project funded by soft loans from New Delhi. The agreement between Sri Lanka Railways and the Indian government owned IRCON was for the restoration of the […]

Cargo Lift

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Container terminals at Colombo port run by state-owned Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) have received a second batch of new cranes to replace aging equipment, a statement said. Three gantry cranes and eleven rubber tired yard gantry cranes to transfer cargo were delivered this week by Chinese manufacturer ZPMC. They […]

Safety Questions

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s first expressway has serious flaws that make 100 kilometres an hour travel unsafe, an organisation of transport professionals has warned, questioning whether safety features were compromised in cost cutting. The southern expressway linking the capital Colombo with the south is to be formally opened on November 27 and […]

Shipping Cycle

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard said September 2011 quarter net profit fell 43 percent to 455 million rupees from a year ago as revenue from both ship building and repair came down. Sales of the yard, 51 percent owned by Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard Company, fell 27.7 percent to 3.5 billion rupees […]

Sri Lanka based seed bank under SAARC common standard

Nov 18, 2011 (LBO) – A seed bank to be set up in Sri Lanka will operate under common standards to be developed by countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC). Information minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the cabinet of ministers had given approval for the seed bank to be established in Sri […]

Naughty lemmings upset global warming beliefs

PARIS, November 18, 2011 (AFP) – Really, it’s enough to drive a climate scientist over the edge. In past years, satellite images have shown a perceptible growth in grasses and shrubs in parts of the Arctic, a phenomenon pinned on global warming. But part of the greening could come from lemmings, surprised researchers have found. […]

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