Comm Bank Group’s 9-month gross income up 30.88-pct to Rs 256 Bn

A heightened emphasis on lending has seen the Commercial Bank Group increase gross loans and advances by Rs 51.404 billion in the third quarter of 2023 at a monthly average of Rs 17.135 billion, growing its loan book by 4.33% over three months to Rs 1.239 trillion and reversing the trend of the first half […]

Opinion: Price controls are not the way to bring down price of chicken

By Pravena Yogendra, a contributor to the Advocata Institute  Most HoReCa channels in Sri Lanka sell a packet of chicken rice and curry at a higher price than a comparative packet of fish rice and curry. The price of a portion of chicken rice and curry is ~30% more than that of a portion of […]

9th Regional dialogue on biodiversity finance in Sri Lanka features new opportunities

A sustainable wonder to the world, Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments in Sri Lanka and deserving of its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982. Sigiriya is also where another landmark knowledge exchange on biodiversity finance takes place.  Reversing the global decline in biodiversity by 2030 requires a budget […]

‘s human development

The Asia-Pacific region is lurching towards an era of unmet aspirations, worsening inequalities, and a steady erosion of democratic spaces. Rising global tensions, new technologies, growing polarization, and existential threats linked to climate change threaten to disrupt improvements in well-being the region has seen in past decades, says a new report from the United Nations […]

Ceylon Chamber leads private sector engagement at India – SriLanka biz summit

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce called for a new economic model focused on export-led investment and tourism, and facilitating the private sector as the engine of growth to build a sustainable business environment, at the recent India-Sri Lanka Business Summit in Colombo. The event brought together key figures, including Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of the […]

PUCSL electricity tariff revision discriminatory: Advocata

Electricity tariff design must meet two main objectives: firstly, raising the money needed to pay for the costs of provision, and secondly, sending the right economic signals to each customer to favour the optimal socio-economic use of electricity. To achieve the above objectives the principles that must be followed when designing tariffs are; Economic sustainability […]

‘s real estate market trends

In a significant stride towards fostering transparency and informed decision-making within South Asia’s real estate landscape, the Research Intelligence Unit (RIUNIT) unveiled a series of reports during the 8th Islamic Finance Forum of South Asia, held on recently at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo. These reports provide a holistic view of the real estate markets […]

Advocata’s Bath Curry Indicator recorded a year-on-year increase of roughly 2-pct

Advocata’s Bath Curry Indicator (BCI) which is a price-index that tracks the monthly changes in the retail price of a basket of commonly consumed food items recorded a year-on-year increase of roughly 2% between September 2022 and September 2023 and a month-on-month fall of 1.6% in between August and September 2023. Additionally, the BCI also […]

Imperative for SOE Reforms in focus at Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2023

The second session of the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2023 titled ‘SOE Reforms – Now or Never’ will focus on the imperative for SOE reforms, sharing invaluable insights into the ongoing SOE reforms and their potential impact on economic growth. The session will center around a deep dive into the transformation of large SOEs, their […]

”’, Removes RWN

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Sri Lanka-based Senkadagala Finance PLC’s (Senka) National Long-Term Rating to ‘BBB(lka)’ from ‘BBB+(lka)’. The Outlook is Stable. Fitch has also downgraded Senka’s subordinated debt rating to ‘BB+(lka)’ from ‘BBB-(lka)’, and removed the Rating Watch Negative (RWN) from all of Senka’s ratings. KEY RATING DRIVERS Weakened Asset Quality Drives Downgrade: Senka’s exposure […]

Borders and Budget: Visa reform will boost tourism and reverse brain drain

By Daniel Alphonsus Three million tourists are set to visit our shores next year. We will issue nearly as many online visas – millions too many. ETAs are a tourist’s bane: rather than dreamy sun, sea and sand, the weary salaryman’s getaway begins with the tedium of forms. The tourist’s ayubowan to Sri Lanka begins […]

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