Tag: Finance

June 18, 2017 (LBO) – A tendency to look to the government for solutions as well as practical constraints like high interest rates and lack of business skills like marketing, academics who are helping improving management skills in the country said. “When you give so many subsidies people or businesses they start depending on the […]

June 17, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is expecting 7.5 percent growth this year despite a slowdown in exports, and adverse weather hitting fisheries, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. The hotel sector as doing well and lots of investments were taking place, he said in addition to other areas like remittances, which were also […]

June 17, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s investment promotion ministry said a new fast-track unit will be opened from July 01, to give approvals for projects within three months.Investment promotions minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene expects the procedure to provide all necessarily approvals, within three months, the statement said. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka […]

June 14, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gaming taxes could be made to be on par with the rest of the world, investment promotions minister Lakshman Abeywardena said amid queries why gaming levies are being brought down.He said casinos were now located haphazardly in Colombo and some were near schools and in a recent budget […]

June 14, 2013 (LBO) – A weakness in Sri Lanka’s rupee is a “logical adjustment” coming amid falling Asian currencies including the Indian rupee and Japanese Yen that will also ward off import pressure, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said.“There are different ways of looking at this,” Cabraal said. “The Indian rupee has weakened significantly. […]

June 14, 2013 (LBO) – An annual economic policy forum will bring universities and business together in a bid to bridge a perceived gap between their needs and the output of local universities its organizer, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said. A speech by Gehan Amaratunga, head, electronics, power and energy conversion group, Cambridge Engineering Faculty […]

June 13, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to ban foreign investments into steel, cement, retail trade, small scale agriculture and beauty care products, to ‘protect’ domestic investors, according to decision by the cabinet of ministers.Cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwelle said relevant regulations would be made known later. He said existing investors in the sectors will […]

June 11, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state workers and pensioners have taken 56 cents out of every tax rupee collected from the people in 2012, not counting tax slashed car permits, official data shows. An analysis by the finance ministry shows that in 1.79 public sector workers took home 348 billion rupees in salaries […]

June 7, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s bank lending rates are expected to ease in the second half of 2013 with reduced bank borrowings by the state, the Central Bank said holding policy rates in June, after a cut last month. In May the monetary authority cut its policy rate corridor by 50 basis points. […]

June 05, 2013 (LBO) – An annual economic policy forum with the participation of businesses, academics and state officials this year will focus on strategies needed to boost the island’s flagging exports, its organizer, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said.Sri Lanka’s exports fell 18.2 percent to 726.7 million US dollars in January 2013 from a year […]

June 3, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs quick cost-based energy pricing to avoid balance of payments pressure and stop bank credit being used for consumption, a finance ministry report has said.The overall national savings rate is further undermined by the deficit in the current account of the budget, where the state spends in current […]

June 03, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state banks and insurance funds have contributed 23 billion rupees or about 0.3 percent of gross domestic product to state revenues in 2012, official data showed. State enterprises such as Lak Sathosa also operate without paying value added tax. Corrected, revenues of 2013