Sri Lankan rupee down on importer dollar demand

Aug 25, 2016 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee traded weaker on Thursday led by importer dollar demand while the central bank appeared to have stopped giving a reference level for the spot currency, dealers said. The rupee has been steady for more than a week as dealers hesitated to trade the local currency below […]

Sri Lanka clarifies reports on McKenzie consultancy

Aug 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s National Policy and Economic Affairs Ministry has clarified certain newspaper reports saying they were aimed at sabotaging the economic development strategy of the government. Releasing a statement the ministry said negative reports have appeared in the newspapers on the engagement of internationally reputed consultancy firms by the Government. […]

Sri Lanka must plug into global production networks: Harsha de Silva

Aug 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to get into the game of global production networks and needs to treat trade agreements seriously, a government minister said. Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva outlined Sri Lanka’s future path as a trading nation at a panel discussion organized by the Young Professionals Organization of UNP. […]

Sri Lankan reforms aims to simplify tax, increase base, compliance: Minister

Aug 24, 2016 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new government is drafting reforms aimed at simplifying taxes, widening the tax base and increasing compliance, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said on Wednesday. “The reforms are aimed at more simplified taxes, bigger tax base, and higher compliance,” he said in an interview with Reuters. The International Monetary Fund […]

Sri Lanka to regulate lubricants, bitumen through PUCSL

Aug 24, 2016 (LBO) –Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved appointment of the Public Utilities Commission as the regulator of the lubricant industry and bitumen trade so as to increase competition in the industry in line with the 2016 budget proposals. At present 13 companies including Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Lanka Indian Oil Company are engaged […]

Sri Lankan rupee steady; importer dollar demand offsets exporter selling

COLOMBO, Aug 24 (Reuters) – The Sri Lankan rupee was steady for an eighth session on Wednesday as exporter dollar sales were offset by importer demand for the greenback, with dealers hesitating to trade the local currency below 145.50 per dollar in anticipation of central bank intervention to defend the rupee, dealers said. The spot […]

Markets recover post Brexit, but political uncertainty remains

Aug 24, 2016 (LBO) – U.K. retail sales data have posted a positive outcome post-Brexit supporting markets even though some political uncertainty remains. From the FTSE’s low of 5,806 points immediately after the Brexit vote, the index has rallied some 18.38 percent. Other European indexes and the STOXX 600 have also recovered, with the STOXX […]

Asia stocks cement gains after recent rally, oil slips

HONG KONG, Aug 24 (Reuters) – Asian stocks consolidated recent gains on Wednesday, helped by Wall Street’s rise overnight, even as oil prices slid after a surprise build in U.S. crude stocks. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.3 percent in early trade. It has risen more than 14 percent since late […]

Chinese bank to set up South Asian branch in Sri Lanka: PM

Aug 23, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today that a Chinese bank has agreed to set up their South Asian branch here in Sri Lanka. “China agreed to set up the branch here in Colombo at the proposed financial city,” Wickremesinghe said. Prime Minister said the concept paper and […]

Sri Lankan rupee trades steady; dollar selling by foreign investors eases pressure

Aug 23, 2016 (Reuters) –The Sri Lankan rupee held steady for a seventh straight session on Tuesday, with dealers hesitating to trade in the local currency below 145.50 per dollar anticipating central bank intervention to defend the currency, dealers said. Foreign investors were seen selling the U.S. currency, which helped ease pressure on the rupee […]

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