Category:
‘s Baltic states
RIGA, May 9, 2010 (AFP) – Seen from the eastern rim of the European Union, the looming austerity drive in crisis-afflicted Greece reads like old news. For almost two years, the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have brought in repeated draconian anti-crisis measures, slashing public spending and hiking taxes to try to dig […]
‘s Minor: report
May 08, 2010 (LBO) – Bangkok-based Minor International is looking to buy or build beach resorts in Sri Lanka, after the island emerged from a 30-year war and prospects for tourism brightened, a media report said. Minor also operates hotels in Thailand under the Marriott and Four Seasons brands and runs Thai franchises for Burger […]
‘s 3G auction licence bids continue to rise
NEW DELHI, May 8, 2010 (AFP) – Bids for nationwide licences in India’s sale of spectrum for superfast 3G mobile services have hit 2. 65 billion dollars, a statement on a government website said Saturday. That price — 120.69 billion rupees (2.65 billion) — is nearly 3.5 times the 35 billion rupee reserve price set […]
‘s Jayawardene opening up Twenty20 horizons
BRIDGETOWN, May 8, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene is relishing the “freedom” that comes with opening the batting after another superlative display at the World Twenty20. And he insists his appetite for runs is far from sated ahead of the islanders’ upcoming clash with Australia on Sunday. The 32-year-old made an unbeaten 98 […]
Sri Lanka partly shielded from Greek crisis by IMF, donor loans: S&P
May 08, 2010 (LBO) – A fiscal and monetary prudence program backed by the International Monetary Fund and donor loans will partly shield Sri Lanka from the fallout of a European credit confidence crisis, a rating agency has said. Sri Lanka hit a balance of payments crisis in late 2008 and some foreign lenders refused […]
Sri Lanka allows forex accounts for overseas service providers, employees
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan companies providing a range of international services and their employees earning foreign exchange income can open foreign currency accounts at commercial banks from Friday, the central bank said. Companies and individuals providing the following categories of international services and their employees can open foreign currency accounts: Accountancy, tax […]
Sri Lanka shares becalmed, Nawaloka in demand
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed almost flat Friday with Nawaloka Hospitals heavy traded after it sold a stake in a debt-ridden hotel, and better March quarter earnings boosting investor sentiment, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 4,223.13, up 0.08 percent (3.53 points) while the more liquid Milanka index […]
Sri Lanka tea export earnings hit new high
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea export earnings in the three months to March 2010 hit a new high in rupee terms although lower volumes were shipped compared with recent years, brokers said. Forbes & Walker Tea Brokers said Sri Lanka’s tea exports in March 2010 fell by about five million kilos to […]
Mobile Move
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Plans by Sri Lanka’s telecommunications regulator to introduce mobile phone number portability, allowing subscribers to switch networks while using the same number, could threaten industry profitability, Fitch Ratings said. Implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) could increase subscriber acquisition and retention costs within the industry, it said in a statement. […]
Multilingual
SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2010 (AFP) – Internet addresses written in Arabic are making history as the first online domains in non-Latin characters, with Chinese and Thai expected to follow close behind. “For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for top-level domains,” the Internet Corporation for Assigned […]
Sri Lanka Aviva unit makes Rs80mn loss in March
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Aviva NDB Insurance made an 80 million rupee loss in March 2010 quarter from a year ago, as wage and sales costs rose and it faced higher claims, accounts filed at the stock exchange showed. Aviva NDB Insurance made 98.3 million rupee profit during March quarter last year. […]
Sri Lanka not given conditions for GSP renewal, says EU
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – The European Union office in Sri Lanka said the EU had not given the island’s government a ‘list of conditions’ to meet to renew a trade deal nor was it dependant on ‘any single measure’. The EU office said in a statement a government delegation will visit EU headquarters in […]