Tag: economy

Apr 14, 2011 (LBO) – An International Monetary Fund policy paper has proposed a forecasting and policy analysis system (FPAS) to help start an inflation targeting regime for Sri Lanka which suggested a range of 4.0 to 7.0 percent a year as a target. The paper said Sri Lanka’s tight peg also complicated monetary policy. […]

Apr 14, 2011 (LBO) – Asian Development Bank’s annual meeting in Vietnam will focus on rising commodity prices which is hurting Asia’s two billion poor, climate change, an ageing population as the region also grapples with natural disasters. ADB’s 44th annual meeting starts will be held from May 03 to 06 in Hanoi alongside a […]

Apr 13, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank had independence in 2010 and the country moved forward with more prudent fiscal and monetary policies, Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera said. Central Banks were originally created by kings to print money and fight wars creating inflation and balance of payments troubles in the process. Sri […]

April 12, 2011 (AFP) – An official Sri Lankan timekeeping website aimed at synchronising watches and helping locals to obey astrological instructions crashed on its first day thanks to unexpected stormy weather. The website, www.sltime.org, was launched Monday by President Mahinda Rajapakse as a resource to help align clocks, watches and computers with Sri Lankan […]

Apr 12, 2011 (LBO) – State infrastructure projects in power, ports, roads and water supply, especially in the war torn north and east of the country has laid a foundation for higher growth, Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. “On the other had in the north – which had regressed 30-year during the war – […]

Apr 12, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s first 100 kilometer per hour expressway from Kottawa in Colombo suburbs to Godagama in Matara in the southern province will have a specialist police division, paramedics and fire brigade, officials said. “There will be a special police division for traffic control, paramedics and separate fire brigade for the […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s vegetable traders who are often accused of keeping prices up through a purchasing ‘mafia’ have now been accused of lowering prices through imports, according to a media report. Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times newspaper said local tomatoes were being sold for prices between 100 to 120 rupees and […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s commercial rents have risen in 2010 with occupancy levels picking up from a slump in 2009, which saw the end of a 30-year war the owners of a prominent Colombo property has said. Overseas Realty Ceylon Ltd, a unit of Singapore’s S P Tao group said occupancy at […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – An attempt by Sri Lanka’s state to deduct a two percent from workers’ salaries under to start a ‘pension scheme’ without any prior discussion with the workers themselves has come under heavy fire. The state which already deducts 8 percent from workers salaries for a state managed Employees Provident Fund, […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s budget deficit fell to 7.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2010 from 9.9 percent in 2009, Swarna Gunaratne, additional director of the central bank’s economic research department said. The deficit was better than the 8.0 percent of GDP that had been expected, she told a news conference […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Reforming Sri Lanka’s loss-making public enterprises could help the country cope better with external shocks like high crude oil prices, the central bank has said. Adjusting domestic prices such as fuel to be more in line with international prices would reduce the burden on the budget of these enterprises, it […]

Apr 11, 2011 (LBO) – Maldives has broken its peg at 12. 85 to the US dollar effectively allowing the currency to depreciate over 15 rufiya to the US dollar under a 20 percent band within which the currency will be allowed to float. The International Monetary Fund said the move will help stabilize the […]