Sri Lanka 2011 budget process gets underway

Oct 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s 2011 budgeting process will get underway with the presentation of an ‘appropriation bill’ in parliament on October 19, and planned deficit of 7.0 percent of the economy from around 8.0 for the current year. Tax revenues have also been in line with nominal GDP growth at 18.3 percent […]

Sri Lanka mini-hydro firm looks for cash to expand

Oct 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hydro Power Free Lanka is looking for 350 million rupees in equity to build three new plants while the firm also has a revenue stream from two existing plants, officials said. Hydro Power Free Lanka posted revenues of 114. 9 million rupees and earned profits of 56.7 million […]

Sri Lanka may trim 25 taxes on business to 15: official

Oct 15, 2010 (LBO) – A report on reforms to Sri Lanka’s complex national and regional taxes will recommend consolidating 25 different existing taxes into 15 or lower, a member of an expert committee said. Saman Kelegama, a member of a presidential commission on taxation, and head of Sri Lanka’s Institute of Policy Studies, a […]

Singapore pushes currency up to counter dollar inflation

SINGAPORE, October 14, 2010 (AFP) – Singapore on Thursday announced a surprise move to tighten monetary policy, pushing the local dollar to new highs as the economy headed for 13 to 15 percent expansion this year. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) signalled its anti-inflation stance after government data showed the economy expanded an annual […]

Sri Lanka should be re-assessed by US business: Asst. Trade Rep

Oct 13, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should be re-assessed by US businesses after the end of a 30-year war as the country moves forward in a peaceful environment though ethnic reconciliation remained a challenge, a top US trade official said. “We think that political reconciliation could be greatly accelerated with economic growth. We need […]

Trio of labour market specialists wins 2010 Economics prize

STOCKHOLM, October 12, 2010 (AFP) – Three labour market experts, including one blocked for a top post at the US Federal Reserve, won the 2010 Nobel Economics Prize Monday for research that has had an impact on employment reforms worldwide. The Nobel jury said the work of Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen of the United […]

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 […]

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