Category: Economy and Markets
Central Bank maintains policy interest rates at current levels
July 06, 2018 (LBO) – Monetary Board of the Central Bank, at its meeting held on 05 July 2018, has decided to maintain policy interest rates at their current levels.Accordingly, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) remain at 7.25 per cent and 8.50 per cent, respectively. The Board’s decision is […]
Perpetual Treasuries suspension of business extended by 6 months
July 05, 2018 (LBO) – Monetary Board of the Central Bank acting in terms of the regulations made under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance, has decided to extend the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL). Accordingly, PTL will be further suspended from carrying on the business and activities of […]
Sri Lanka’s expenditure on tobacco use surpasses GSP+ export income
July 05, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lankan consumers’ annual expenditure on cigarettes and tobacco is so high it surpasses the annual export revenue from EU GSP Plus, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said. “Reports say that Sri Lankan consumers spend more than Rs 200 million per day for cigarettes,” Minister Bathiudeen said. “According to the World […]
Sri Lanka continues upward trend in tourist arrivals: June up 19.0-pct
Jul 05, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals was up 19.0 percent to 146,828 in June 2018 from an year ago driven by the islands two largest source markets India and China, official data shows. Almost 98 percent of tourists travelled by air to Sri Lanka. As at 31st June 2018, 1,164,647 tourists had visited Sri Lanka […]
Stocks continue slide to new 2018 lows as turnover dries up
July 4, 2018 (LBO) – The Colombo Stock Exchange continued its 2018 slide as stocks finished at new lows for the year. Both major stock market indices continued their drip lower finishing down just over .6%. Turnover was very weak at Rs261mn (US$1.65mn), with trades of market bellwether JKH accounting for almost 40% of total […]
Cabinet awards Rs1.5bn contract to ACL Cables for supplying aerial conductors
July 04, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal to award a contract of supplying 2,500 km of aerial bundle conductors to ACL Cables.The proposal presented by Power Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya shows that the value of the contract is 1,456 million rupees.Meanwhile, the government has also decided to establish a […]
JKH hits post war valuation lows as second Balendra era beckons
Jul 04, 2018 (LBO) – The Colombo Stock Exchange has had a tough 2018, and there is no stock where this is more apparent than John Keells Holdings (JKH). JKH has been referred to as Sri Lanka’s bluest of blue chips. To many foreign institutional investors, JKH is the only stock in Sri Lanka that […]
Transparency International calls for four key amendments to National Audit Bill
Jul 04, 2018 (LBO) – Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has released a legislative brief on the National Audit Bill detailing key amendments to be made in committee stage. The brief is being released ahead of a debate on the Bill in Parliament, Thursday. It highlights four key areas of concern with the provisions of the existing […]
Colombo stocks sink to new lows with S&P SL 20 index down 10% for 2018
July 3, 2018 (LBO) – Colombo stocks continued their decline hitting new lows for 2018. Key indices were both lower with the All Share Price Index (ASPI) down .77% and the S&P SL 20 down 1.34% on the session. Turnover was a weak Rs566mn (US$3.6mn). The trend of foreign selling continued as net foreign sales […]
No backward calculation to obtain GDP with pre-decided deflators: Stats Office
July 03, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s statistics office rejecting the recent claims on the GDP estimates said it is almost impossible to carry out backward calculations to obtain GDP with pre-decided GDP deflators. Releasing a statement, Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) said it is also not an internationally accepted practice of estimating national […]
‘s Basel III sub debt final AA-(lka)
July 03, 2018 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has assigned Commercial Bank proposed Basel III-compliant subordinated unsecured debentures a final National Long-Term Rating of ‘AA-(lka)’. The final rating is the same as the expected rating assigned on 14 February 2018 and follows the receipt of documents conforming to information already received. The debentures, totaling 10 billion rupees, have […]
Selling accelerates as Colombo stocks hit new lows for 2018
July 2, 2018 (LBO) – The markets started the month of July on the same course they have been for the year. The days selloff was slow and steady through the session with both major indices dropping over 1%. The all share price index (ASPI) finished down 1.07%, and the S&P SL 20 was off […]