Category:
”’ human rights
November 20, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s former top military officer who resigned last week promised on Friday to “fight for democracy” amid reports he will challenge the president at upcoming elections.General Sarath Fonseka, who quit as chief of defence staff following a spat with President Mahinda Rajapakse, said he was committing himself to restoring […]
Sri Lanka inflation seen subdued: IMF
Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Visiting International Monetary Fund officials said Sri Lanka’s inflation is seen staying low with no sign of demand-driven inflationary as the economy and credit are still growing too slowly to generate inflation. IMF mission chief Brian Aitken said economic growth has been better than expected when it approved a 2.6 […]
Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.34-pct
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down Thursday, on news billionaire fund manager Raj Rajaratnam was selling part of his stocks, while retail investors who got burnt on margin calls in a downturn stayed on the sidelines, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 2,960.77, down 0.34 percent (10.13 points) […]
State Banking
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run Lankaputhra Development Bank (LDB) has received an ‘A’ rating on state support, Ram Ratings Lanka said but the bank’s bad loans had risen to 38.9 percent by end-August 2009. “Over the longer term, however, this ratio is expected to ease as concentration risk becomes more diluted due […]
Sri Lanka tea crop lowest in 10 years
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tea production in October 2009 improved from that of the same month last year when the market had crashed but output in the 10-months is the lowest in 10 years, brokers said. “Conditions that prevailed in that year were far from normal,” the brokers said. “The fourth quarter […]
Sri Lanka Hayleys helps mechanise rice farms
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hayleys conglomerate said it plans to introduce machines for seeding and transplanting that will help paddy farmers reduce costs and improve yields.It said in a statement that the locally-built machines can halve the costs of sowing, provide up to 15 percent gain in yields and reduce harvesting costs. […]
Sri Lanka flash floods make 58,000 homeless: official
November 19, 2009 (AFP) – Nearly 60,000 people were left homeless in Sri Lanka Thursday following flash floods in the capital Colombo and the suburbs, an official said.“We have a list of over 58,000 individuals who were left homeless in and around Colombo,” Kodipillai said, adding that they were being housed in public buildings. Thousands […]
Sri Lanka Janashakthi rating watch lifted, BBB+ confirmed
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – RAM Ratings Lanka said it has lifted the Rating Watch with a negative outlook on Janashakthi Insurance and confirmed its BBB+ rating with a stable outlook. It said in a statement Janashakthi had improved its solvency margins with better investments. “The reaffirmation of the company’s rating is reflective of its […]
‘s debate over the inflation rate 01
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Inflation is considered public enemy number one when a country is not at war. Since Sri Lanka’s 30 year old war is now over, there cannot be a bigger public enemy than inflation. Inflation Makes People Poorer All individuals are concerned about inflation because it makes them poorer unless their […]
Sri Lanka accelerates coal power with $891mn Chinese loan
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will build two 300 MegaWatt coal power plants at the same time with Chinese financing and finish a 900MW facility in two phases instead of the originally planned three to cut the country’s high power costs. The 891 million dollar ‘preferential buyer’s credit’ would be repayable in 20 […]
India fight to save Test after Sri Lanka blitz
AHMEDABAD, November 19, 2009 (AFP) – India were waging a grim battle to survive the first cricket Test after Sri Lanka went on a record-breaking batting spree on the fourth day here on Thursday.The Indians, trailing by 334 runs on the first innings as Sri Lanka piled on 760-7 declared, moved to 190-2 in their […]
Sri Lanka private equity fund upbeat on MBOs, retailing
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – A new private equity fund targeting Sri Lanka will focus on supporting management buyouts, and is upbeat on opportunities in retailing, tourism and information technology as the island recovers from a 30-year war, officials said.Investors who enter the Leopard private equity fund will have to look up money for ten […]