Category:
Top UN official to press Sri Lanka for rights probe
September 16, 2009 (AFP) – A top UN official was expected in Sri Lanka Wednesday to press for a probe into possible rights abuses during the final stages of the military’s victory over Tamil rebels.UN under secretary general for political affairs Lynn Pascoe was sent by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who has voiced concern […]
Sri Lanka expands state by 305,000 people since 2004
Sept 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has expanded an already bloated state sector by 305,060 persons since 2004, including 43,981 in 2009, data released by the island’s finance ministry showed.Deputy finance minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the government was continuing to give state jobs and 1,000 people would be absorbed to state-run Bank of Ceylon […]
Sri Lanka foreign reserves top US$4.0bn
Sept 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross foreign reserves have topped 4.0 billion US dollars on September 10, the highest in the island’s history, the Central Bank said. The Central Bank also acquired dollars by directly swapping domestic assets to a foreign fund manager. The central bank started to collect foreign reserves after floating […]
Sri Lankan stocks down 0.85-pct on profit taking
Sep 15, 2009 (LBO) – A rally in Sri Lanka share prices that lifted them to a 30-month high skidded to a halt Tuesday as retail investors took profits from an overheating market, brokers said.The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed down 0.85 percent (24.26 points) to end at 2,837.99, while the Milanka […]
Looser Words
Sept 15, 2009 (LBO) – A travel advisory on Sri Lanka has been further relaxed with a reduced level of terrorist threat, in the island, the British High Commission in Colombo said. The UK relaxed its travel advisory to parts of the Eastern province after Tamil Tiger separatists were defeated in May, though British travelers […]
UK Move
Sept 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Millennium IT will be acquired by London Stock Exchange and its faster trading software would replace the British bourse’s existing platform, a media report said. The report said LSE could pay around 50 million sterling pounds (about 9.4 billion rupees) to buy the technology firm. Britain’s Financial Times […]
India win Sri Lanka tri-series after Tendulkar ton
September 14, 2009 (AFP) – Sachin Tendulkar hit his 44th one-day century to lead India to a 46-run win over Sri Lanka in the final of the limited-overs tri-series here on Monday.Tendulkar, the world’s leading Test and one-day scorer, made 138 off 133 balls as India piled up 319-5 after batting first in the day-night […]
Sri Lanka demands EU trade concessions without rights probe
September 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will not submit to an investigation into its rights record to qualify for extended trade concessions from the European Union, a government minister said Tuesday.The deputy minister of state revenue, finance and planning, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, said Colombo wanted an extension of the EU generalised system of preferences (GSP […]
‘s level in August: Treasury official
Sept 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state revenues for August had reached last year’s level in line with a recovery in import trade and domestic economic activities, and is expected to show a positive growth in this month, an official said. “In August we have reached break-even level and we are expecting revenues will […]
Sri Lankan 2009-end inflation to be 6.0-pct: Statistics office
Sept 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s year-end consumer inflation measured by a revised Colombo Consumer Price Index is estimated to be 6.0 percent by December, and seasonally adjusted number even lower, the government’s statistics office said. The United States has reported a negative 2.1 percent inflation for July and hard pegged Hong Kong, which […]
Sri Lanka sells US41mn 3-year bonds
Sept 14, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has sold 41 million US dollars of 3-year dollar denominated bonds rolling over 35 million US dollars of maturing 2-year debt, the government’s debt office said.The dollar bonds are aimed at domestic investors including banks who are eligible to hold dollar assets. The bonds, labeled Sri Lanka Development […]
Sri Lanka shares hit new high, seen over-valued
Sep 14, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares hit a 30-month high Monday as bullish investor’s placed bets on financial and healthcare sector stocks, brokers said.The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed up 0.77 percent (21.92 points) to end at 2,862.25, while the Milanka index of liquid stocks gained 0.49 percent (15.66 points) […]