Tag: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka opportunities scouted by Dubai group
Mar 06, 2012 (LBO) – Dubai-based All Futtaim group which already owns a motor dealer and insurer is scouting fresh opportunities in leisure and real estate, group vice chairman Omer Al-Futtaim said. “We are exploring a number of new of new opportunities,” he said. “Real estate and leisure is one of the areas we are […]
Price Signals
Mar 05, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Gampaha district in the Western province bordering the capital Colombo was the area with the highest kerosene consumption with most of it going to factories, the finance ministry said. Though there was a widespread belief that kerosene is consumed by poor households with no electricity including houses of […]
Burning Loss
Mar 03, 2012 (LBO) – Giving subsidized furnace oil to a state-run power utility was the main main source of losses at a petroleum utility, while the private firms also made higher profits due to cheap power, the finance ministry said. The finance ministry said state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation lost 90 billion rupees in 2011 […]
UK restricts skilled workers; allows servants, scientists
Mar 01, 2012 (LBO) – The United Kingdom has tightened immigration rules, ending automatic settlement for skilled workers but allowing scientists and those in low-paid jobs where there are worker shortages and limited stay for servants. œOur reforms of the immigration system will ensure we are more selective, not only about those who are allowed […]
‘s central bank says S&P downgrade unwarranted
Feb 29, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank says an outlook and rating by Standard & Poor’s in the wake of balance of payments pressure is unwarranted because corrective steps have been taken by the government. S&P on Wednesday cut the outlook on Sri Lanka’s ‘B+’ foreign currency rating to ‘stable’ from ‘positive’ and […]
Sri Lanka hoping to resume IMF program: Central Bank
Mar 01, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is planning to resume a deal with the International Monetary Fund which can boost the island’s forex reserves which had fallen to 5. 7 billion US dollars and there is no capital flight, the Central Bank said. Analysts say that in the absence of a clean float and […]
Sri Lanka think tank World Bank starts online debate on better jobs
Mar 01, 2012 (LBO) – An online discussion based on a report by Sri Lanka’s Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the World Bank on creating better jobs has been started using ‘Google Moderator’, to invite more public discussion. “Sri Lanka is in a new phase of growth, but the development challenges are many. Unemployment […]
Sri Lanka taking corrective steps to fix imbalances: economists
Feb 29, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has taken delayed corrective steps to counter a balance of payments crisis triggered by a credit bubble worsened by energy price manipulation and state enterprise losses, but more pain may be ahead, economists warned. In 2011 Sri Lanka saw a surge in private sector credit fired by extended […]
Sri Lanka policy changes to bolster external position: Fitch
Feb 29, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s external finances are under pressure but recent policy changes could bolster the balance of payments even if they hurt growth, Fitch Ratings said. Analysts have pointed out that Sri Lanka is vulnerable to oil prices because the state manipulates energy prices and there is no mechanism to quickly […]
Sri Lanka sovereign rating outlook lowered by S&P
Feb 29, 2012 (LBO) – Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its outlook on Sri Lanka’s ‘B+’ long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating to stable from positive because of falling foreign reserves and fiscal problems. The rating agency at the same time downgraded Sri Lanka’s long-term local currency rating to ‘B+’ from ‘BB-‘, while […]
‘s inflation eases to 2.7-pct in Feb
Feb 29, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices rose 2.7 percent in the 12-months to February 2012, easing from 3. 8 percent in January, though the index gained 0.4 percent in the month, the state statistics office said. Interest rates have since risen. Sri Lanka’s inflation remained low by historic standards despite a steep […]
Sri Lankan should flag social issues creatively: Bangladesh photo activist
Feb 28, 2012 (LB) – Bangladesh photographer, activist and social entrepreneur Shahidul Alam, challenged Sri Lankans to think creatively to flag social issues that grips the developing world. Driven by largely autocratic governments, developing nations like Sri Lanka battle veiled censorship, subtle military rule and commercial pressure that often suppress unsavoury topics. “Don’t let those […]