Category:
Moribund Merchant
May 05, 2009 (LBO) – Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (MBSL) said its March quarter group net profit fell 5.8 percent to 29.8 million rupees from a year ago, with net interest income flat.MBSL is also acquiring control of Ceylinco Savings Bank (CSB), part of the troubled Ceylinco group, which suffered a run after another […]
” sweeps African cocoa fields
CANTONDOUGOU, May 5, 2009 (AFP) – The comforting world of chocolate ads could not be further from the harsh reality in the backwoods of the world’s biggest cocoa producer — where rubber is the new crop of choice. In the village of Cantondougou in western Ivory Coast there are no steaming mugs of hot chocolate […]
Indian Ocean buoys help predict monsoon: scientists
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2009 (AFP) – Scientists said Monday they had reached the halfway point in a project to set up buoys across the Indian Ocean, helping farmers predict the monsoon in some of the world’s poorest areas.The buoys measure wind, rainfall, temperature and other figures around the Indian Ocean, which has lagged behind the […]
Bangladesh remittances up despite global recession
DHAKA, May 5, 2009 (AFP) – Bangladeshis working abroad sent home more money in April than in the same month last year, an official said Tuesday, despite warnings that remittances would take a hit from the global slowdown. Bangladesh Bank executive director Khandakar Muzharul Haque told AFP that 857 million dollars were sent back last […]
Sri Lanka rebel leader trapped by troops: PM
May 5, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is trapped in a small strip of coastline that has been surrounded by government soldiers, the prime minister said Tuesday.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told parliament that Prabhakaran, 54, was still leading his Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters in their desperate battle for survival […]
Sri Lanka roadside blasts sugar firm tractor, one killed
May 05, 2009 (LBO) – One person was killed Tuesday morning when a tractor belonging to a private sugar plantation was caught in a roadside bomb in southern Sri Lanka, the military said. Pelwatte Sugar is a listed company. Pelwatte Sugar was trading at 16.50 rupees, up 50 cents. The tractor was being used to […]
Sri Lanka JKH ups stake in Union Assurance to 80-pct
May 05, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings (JKH) said it had increased its stake in insurer Union Assurance by a further 2.52 percent after an offer to buy out remaining shareholders which ended Monday.JKH deputy chairman Ajit Gunewardena said at the time the move was aimed at consolidating the conglomerate’s position in […]
Sri Lanka cricketers get pay hike
May 05, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has raised salaries of cricketers and doubled the number of players under contract, an official said. Sri Lanka A Squad: Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Tharanga Paranavithana, Malinga Bandara, Rangana Herath, Dammika Prasad, Chamara Silva, Mahela Udawatte, Gihan Rupasinghe, Suranga Lakmal, Kaushal Silva, Chanaka Welegedara, Isuru Udana, Chaminda Vidanapathirana, Dinesh Deshapriya […]
Sri Lanka banks asked to cut lending rates, says Central Bank
May 5, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said it had asked banks to cut interest charged on loans which remain high despite policy rate cuts, while its grip on overnight is also tenuous due to quantity restrictions on discount windows.The Central Bank said it has “informed the licensed banks to take appropriate measures […]
Canada ups relief aid for Sri Lanka
OTTAWA, May 4, 2009 (AFP) – Canada’s Minister of International Cooperation Beverley Oda announced Monday an increase in humanitarian aid for civilians displaced by ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka.Ottawa will provide three million dollars (2.5 million US) to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the World Food Programme and […]
Sri Lanka shares buoyed by institutional buying
May 04, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended firmer Monday, lifted by investments from institutional investors taking a long-term view as the rupee remained becalmed around 120.00 – 120.10 against the dollar, brokers and dealers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The All […]
Shorter Deadline
May 04, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank which is collecting information on assets of Golden Key Credit Card, a collapsed financial firm, said its officials and past officials should declare assets by May 05. The Central Bank brought forward the deadline following a court order on April 27 which required information to be […]