Category: Economy and Markets
Gold hits record high past 1,160 US dollars per ounce
HONG KONG, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – The price of gold soared to a record close of 1,166.00-1,167.00 US dollars an ounce in Hong Kong on Monday as dealers moved into the safe haven commodity due to the weak greenback, analysts said. It opened at 1,158.00-1,159.00 US dollars. The precious metal was up from Friday’s […]
Sri Lanka rupee shows life in flexible regime
Nov 23, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka rupee closed weaker against the US dollar at 114.40/50 Monday after opening stronger under a more flexible exchange rate adopted by the Central Bank, dealers said. The spot dollar opened at 114.25/30 rupee levels against the greenback Monday and peaked to around 114.50/60 level in intra-day trading, dealers […]
Iran gained 5 billion dollars by euro switch: banker
TEHRAN, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – Iran’s central bank chief said on Monday that the country has gained five billion dollars by replacing the US dollar with the euro in its currency basket, state-owned English language Press TV reported.“Iran has considerably reduced the total of US dollars in its currency basket,” Mahmoud Bahmani said at […]
Sri Lanka resettlement plan needed: politicians, activists
November 22, 2009 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government has failed to make adequate welfare provision for the 136,000 Tamil civilians it plans to release from internment camps, rights activists and opposition parties said Sunday. Heeding international calls for the camps to be closed, the authorities said the remaining detainees — held since the military […]
Sri Lanka inflation seen subdued: IMF
Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Visiting International Monetary Fund officials said Sri Lanka’s inflation is seen staying low with no sign of demand-driven inflationary as the economy and credit are still growing too slowly to generate inflation. IMF mission chief Brian Aitken said economic growth has been better than expected when it approved a 2.6 […]
Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.93-pct
Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down Friday as retail investors continued to take defensive positions after speculation of tainted fund manager, Raj Rajaratnam divesting Commercial Bank stake, brokers said.DFCC Bank closed at 148.00 rupees, up 3.00, and National Development Bank closed at 180.00 rupees, up 1.00. Fixed line operator Sri Lanka […]
Sri Lanka private equity fund upbeat on MBOs, retailing
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – A new private equity fund targeting Sri Lanka will focus on supporting management buyouts, and is upbeat on opportunities in retailing, tourism and information technology as the island recovers from a 30-year war, officials said.Investors who enter the Leopard private equity fund will have to look up money for ten […]
Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.34-pct
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down Thursday, on news billionaire fund manager Raj Rajaratnam was selling part of his stocks, while retail investors who got burnt on margin calls in a downturn stayed on the sidelines, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 2,960.77, down 0.34 percent (10.13 points) […]
Sri Lanka bill yields fall after rate cut
Nov 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Treasury bill yields fell across the board following a 50 basis point rate cut earlier in the day, and with the 3-month yield slipping below the repo rate at which cash is drained from the system. The debt office, which is a unit of the Central Bank, said […]
Sri Lanka cuts rates, narrows policy corridor
Nov 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has cut its main policy rate that injects liquidity into the banking system by 75 basis points to 9.75 percent and the rate at which it drains liquidity by 50 basis points to 7.50 percent. The Central Bank said it had bought dollars from the market […]
Sri Lankan stocks close down 0.41-pct
Nov 19, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down Wednesday as retail investors were seen unloading mid capped stocks due to selling pressure, brokers said.The All Share Price Index closed at 2,970.90, down 0.41 percent (12.35 points), while the Milanka Price Index of more liquid stocks closed at 3,376.44, down 0.12 percent (4.04 points). […]
IMF sells two tonnes of gold to Mauritius
WASHINGTON, November 17, 2009 (AFP) – The International Monetary Fund announced Monday it has sold two tonnes of gold to the central bank of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius for nearly 72 million dollars.The sale came as gold prices surged Monday to an all-time high of 1,136.72 dollars per ounce. The sale to Mauritius […]