Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka Debt Management Bill receives go-ahead from cabinet
Jan 17, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet on Tuesday decided to publish proposed Debt Management Bill in gazette and present it in parliament for approval. Cabinet earlier granted approval to draft the law to implement accountability management as a strategy for effective public debt management. Through this new bill Sri Lanka’s public debt sustainability […]
Strengthening Sri Lankan SMEs in exports vital for development: Eran
Jan 15, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s plans to increase the contribution made by smaller-scale businesses to exports and lift foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2018 were both topics of conversation at a meeting held recently between Eran Wickramaratne, state minister of finance, and a team from Oxford Business Group (OBG). During the talks, Wickramaratne […]
Sri Lanka seeks to modify performance criteria; EFF broadly on track: IMF
Jan 12, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s performance under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program has remained broadly on track despite a series of weather-related supply shocks, the IMF said. Following the Executive Board’s discussion of the third EFF review, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Acting Chair and Deputy Managing Director of IMF, said country’s fiscal performance has […]
Sri Lanka official reserves improve to USD8bn by end 2017
Jan 12, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves have improved to 7,952.58 million US dollars by the end of last year from 7,319.40 million dollars in November 2017, official Central Bank data showed. By the end of 2016, country’s gross official reserves were stood at 6,062.71 million US dollars. Foreign currency reserves were […]
“Enterprise Sri Lanka” to be launched in March: Fin Min
Jan 12, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Government will disburse 60 billion rupees through state and private banks while the Treasury will set aside 5 billion rupees to reimburse interest to banks as part of the Budget 2018’s “Enterprise Sri Lanka” program to create new entrepreneurs. Minister of Finance and Mass Media MangalaSamaraweera said that one of the […]
Governor received bond commission report yesterday: Central Bank
Jan 11, 2018 (LBO) – Central Bank revealed Thursday that the secretary to the President has handed over a copy of the bond commission report to the Governor of Central Bank yesterday. Central Bank said that it has already implemented some of the recommendations, while measures have already been initiated to implement most of the […]
CEAT Kelani to invest Rs3Bn in local tyre industry , Eyes US market
Jan 11, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tyre manufacturer, CEAT Kelani said they will invest 3 billion rupees in the local industry over next two years. Unveiling its masterplan to local media the Indo-Lanka Company said it will set up a new truck bus radial tyreplant while also doubling production of radials and motorcycle tyres and […]
IFC, CB partner to create Sri Lanka’s first national financial inclusion strategy
Jan 09, 2018 (LBO) – IFC, a member of the World Bank Group has partnered with the Central Bank to develop the country’s first National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS). The strategy will promote a more effective and efficient process to improve financial inclusion across Sri Lanka. IFC, over the course of the project, will provide […]
Sri Lankan Banks to Step up Basel III Tier 2 Issuance: Fitch
Jan 08, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks are likely to significantly boost issuance of Basel III-compliant Tier 2 instruments in 2018, says Fitch Ratings. Most banks will need to raise capital to meet higher Basel III requirements that take full effect in January 2019, and to support balance-sheet expansion, the rating agency said issuing […]
Treasury posts Rs22bn primary surplus in Budget, first time in 63 years
Jan 08, 2018 (LBO) – Government has achieved 21.9 billion rupees surplus in the primary balance of the fiscal accounts during the first ten months of 2017, for the first time in 63 years. Finance Ministry said in the post independent Sri Lankan history a surplus in the budget deficit was first recorded in 1954 […]
Proposed digital economy to uplift GDP by 1 to 3-pct in 2019: McKinsey
Jan 08, 2018 (LBO) – McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm has confirmed that the proposed digital economy for Sri Lanka could uplift country’s GDP by 1 to 3 percent in 2019. Issuing a press release, Policy Development Office said McKinsey & Company has confirmed this while presenting their inception report for developing […]
Rajagiriya flyover to open today, speed of vehicles to increase eight-fold
Jan 08, 2017 (LBO) – President Maithripala Sirisena will declare open the Rajagiriya flyover on January 08, providing long term solutions for the heavy traffic congestion in the area. Issuing a statement the Presidents media unit said that during the times of heavy traffic congestion in Rajagiriya, the speed of the vehicles moving on this road […]