Sri Lanka to shift away from quantity targets: CB Governor

Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is “unlikely” to announce direct targeting of reserve money next year and will rely more on “traditional instruments” as the country moves gradually to target inflation directly with rates, central bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. But under such a framework interest rates can be volatile, because the quantity […]

Sri Lanka state sell-down proposals spell new direction

Oct 09, 2010 (LBO) – Planned sell-downs of two state enterprises charts a new direction in Sri Lanka’s post-war economic strategy that can make state firms more transparent and also boost capital markets, analysts said. During the year the firm had given back 4,000 billion rupees to the parent in a share-buy back, which earned […]

Sri Lanka economic parley to mull growth strategies

Oct 07, 2010 (LBO) – Growth strategies needed to improve Sri Lanka’s economic climate and raise living standards by reducing income inequality will be discussed at a conference of economists later this month, a senior economist said The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Economic Association will cover development of physical and social infrastructure, enhancing […]

Sri Lanka made right decision on gold: Central Bank Governor

Oct 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka made the right decision in increasing the gold component of reserve assets, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said as gold prices hit fresh highs on loose US monetary policy that is driving the dollar down as well as higher real demand. About 11 percent of the central bank’s […]

Sri Lanka says met IMF targets, mission in November

Oct 06, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has met key quantity targets in September for foreign reserves, local borrowing and money creation limits, under a deal with the International Monetary Fund, the Central Bank said. Sri Lanka has not yet released the IMF staff review of the economy was given to the board of the […]

Sri Lanka business caught napping by war-end: senior banker

Oct 05, 2010 (LBO ) – Sri Lanka’s large enterprises were caught napping by the end of a 30-year war, and smaller firms which required less planning were first off the mark, a senior banker has said. The central bank had said that by July 2010 loans from commercial banks to the private sector rose […]

Sri Lanka hopes to use war strategy on economy

Oct 02, 2010 (LBO) – The skills that enabled Sri Lanka win against Tamil separatists can be used to revive the economy and catch up on growth lost by 30 years of war, an architect of the military campaign said. One of the key weaknesses was lack of manpower to hold areas cleared of Tamil […]

Sri Lanka ratings can improve on public sector reforms, lower debt: S&P

Oct 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s ratings can improve if the government uses its political strength to reform the public and economic policy which would allow public debt to come down, Standard & Poor’s, a rating agency has said. Following recent electoral victories the government no longer depended on the support of “minority extremist […]

Sri Lanka stocks world top performer: Bloomberg data

Oct 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed up 2. 1 percent Friday becoming the best performing market in the world, up 110.9 percent so far according to Bloomberg newswires data, beating Mongolia at 109.7 percent. Bangladesh was a distant third at 56.4 percent. Colombo’s benchmark All Share Price Index closed at 7,147, topping […]

Sri Lanka seeks help for 90,000 war widows: minister

September 29, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka is seeking foreign help to care for nearly 90,000 women who have been widowed due to the island’s Tamil separatist war which ended last year, a minister said Wednesday. Child Development and Women’s Affairs Minister M. L. A. M. Hizbullah told reporters some 12,000 war widows were below […]

Sri Lanka inflation accelerates to 5.8-pct in September

Sept 30, 2010 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo rose 5. 8 percent in September from a year earlier, accelerating from 5.0 percent in August, the government’s statistics office said. “What is important here is that we have not only been able to deal with inflation, but we have also been able […]

Sri Lanka revised IMF deal focuses on budget

Sept 27, 2010 (LBO) – A revised program Sri Lanka has signed with the International Monetary Fund is allowing more monetary space for the central bank with responsible fiscal policy continuing to be the key focus. A revised letter of intent given by the government has made a deposit insurance scheme for banks, reducing tax […]

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