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Asia stocks slip as Deutsche sours mood, Brent USD49.24 on OPEC pact
SINGAPORE, Sept 30 (Reuters) – Asian stocks followed Wall Street lower in early trade on Friday, while oil prices held close to the highest level in almost a month on optimism over an OPEC plan to curb output. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.5 percent, on track for a 0.4 percent […]
Sri Lanka can meet 5.4-pct budget deficit target for 2016: Ravi
Sep 30, 2016 (LBO) – Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said Sri Lanka is well on its way to achieving the fiscal target for 2016 as the Value Added Tax increase would be presented in Parliament next week. “Revenue collection is largely on target despite delays in passing the VAT amendments, and we are confident of […]
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank allows foreign investors full control: CIFL
Sep 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s troubled Central Investment and Finance Company says the Monetary Board has assured that investors would get 100 percent control once the proposed investment materializes. Clarifying a newspaper report, CIFL said that such intervention would be subject to other circumstances of the mechanism of proposed investment. The investors have […]
Sri Lanka lube market grows 6.8-pct in 2015: report
Sep 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s lubricant market has grown by 6.8 percent to 23.4 billion rupees in 2015, with 10.1 percent growth in automotive and 7.7 percent increase in industrial lube, the lubricant market report 2015 showed. The report compiled by its regulator Public Utilities Commission, however, said the marine lubricant market has […]
Sri Lankan rupee edge down ahead of bond auction
Sept 29, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee edged down on Thursday ahead of a bond auction as investors bought the local currency to buy bonds, and as importer demand for dollars exceeded greenback sales by exporters, dealers said. The spot rupee was trading at 146.75/85 per dollar, compared with Wednesday’s close of 146.62/70. […]
New HC Chitranganee Wagiswara presents credentials to Indian President
High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Chitranganee Wagiswara presented credentials to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapathi Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday 26 September 2016. Meeting the President of India after presenting the Credentials, Mrs. Wagiswara conveyed the greetings of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to the […]
One in four Sri Lankan households own a computer: survey
Sep 29, 2016 (LBO) – At least one computer is available in 24 percent of households in Sri Lanka, in urban as well as rural areas, the Department of Census and Statistics said in its Computer Literacy report for 2015. “That is about one out of every four households owns either a desktop or a […]
Blackberry ends manufacture of iconic smartphone
Sept 29, 2016 (LBO) – BlackBerry says it will no longer manufacture the iconic smartphone and will instead outsource the function to partners. BlackBerry CEO John Chen said the company will prioritize software development, including apps and security. “We are reaching an inflection point with our strategy,” Chen said. “Our financial foundation is strong, and […]
Asia stocks gains as crude oil surges after OPEC deal
TOKYO, Sept 29 (Reuters) – Asian stocks gained on Thursday in tandem with an oil price rally after OPEC members agreed to curb output – boosting investor risk appetite. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.6 percent. Commodity-heavy Australian shares advanced 0.6 percent and South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.7 percent. Japan’s […]
Sri Lanka’s Fitch places Distilleries on rating watch negative
Sept 28, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Fitch Ratings has placed Distilleries Company’s national long-term rating of ‘AAA(lka)’ on rating watch negative following its restructuring of the group. Full text of the rating action is reproduced below. Fitch Places Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka on Rating Watch Negative Fitch Ratings has placed Distilleries Company of […]
CB Governor says 2Q growth should be higher than 2.6-pct
Sept 28, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s second quarter economic growth for this year should be higher than the published 2.6 percent, Central Bank Governor said. Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy told reporters in Colombo that he would expect it to be higher than the current figure, once it gets revised. “If you look at proxies for […]
Opinion: Suggestions from a small business for the budget
By Ranjit Hulugalle I run a printing business which employs nearly 100 people in Biyagama, outside of the BOI — Board of Investment zones for export. It is not in the zone and does not get any privileges, tax concessions and other benefits that companies receive at the zone. Our main inputs are imported papers, […]