Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lankan stocks down 0.41-pct on profit taking
July 02, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares continued to slide for the fourth straight day as retail investors carried on taking profits, while high net worth and institutional investors stayed on the sidelines, brokers said. Commercial Bank of Ceylon closed at 135.00 rupees, up 5.00, while National Development Bank closed at 155.00 rupees, up […]
Sri Lankan stocks down 0.6-pct on profit taking
July 01, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down 0.6 percent Wednesday, as retailers took profit, while institutional, high net worth and foreign investors stayed in the sidelines, brokers said. National Development Bank closed at 153.50 rupees, up 1.00. Brokers said 1.58 million Lanka Cement shares changed hands today, while 1.22 million Piramal Glass […]
Sri Lanka says stand by loan a test of IMF objectivity
July 1, 2009 (LBO) – A decision on a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Sri Lanka expected in “four or five weeks” will be a test of the objectivity of the organization, a government minister said. In March, Sri Lanka floated the rupee, as a prior action for the loan ending a […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries yields fall
July 1, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s three and six month Treasury bill yields edged lower while the 12-month yield stayed flat at Wednesdays auction, the government’s debt office said.The 3-month yield fell 12 basis points to 11.29 percent and the 6-month yield fell 9 basis points to 11.94 percent. The 12-month yield stayed flat […]
Sri Lanka upgrades growth to 3.5-4.5-pct
July 1, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economy is forecast grow at a faster 3.5 to 4.5 percent in 2009, up from the 2. 5 percent originally expected, following the end of a 30-year war and easier money, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. In June 2009, inflation rose 0. 9 percent from a year […]
Sri Lanka recovery to be driven by domestic factors: economist
June 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economic recovery will be driven largely by domestic reconstruction flowing from an end of a three decade long war with some support from an external pick up, a regional economist said.“A lot of domestic factors, the end of war, rehabilitation, re-construction and improvement from agriculture will drive growth,” […]
Sri Lanka June inflation at 0.9-pct
June 30, 2009 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo rose 0.9 percent in June from a year earlier, down from 3.3 in May, while prices during the month moved up 1.3 percent, the government’s statistics office said. So far this year Sri Lanka’s central bank has technically ‘loosened’ monetary policy, cutting policy […]
Sri Lanka creates economic zone for Chinese investors
June 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency, the Board of Investment, said it signed a deal with China’s Huichen Investment to manage a special economic zone dedicated to Chinese investors.Industries earmarked for the zone include manufacture of machinery and equipment, electric motorcycles, buses, ambulances and agricultural machinery, and light vehicle assembly. Yapa […]
Sri Lankan shares becalmed, investors wary
June 30, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed almost flat Tuesday as retail investors took defensive positions on mid cap shares and some selected blue chip counters, brokers said. The benchmark Colombo All Share Price Index closed down 0.32 percent (7.72 points) to end at 2,432.15, while the Milanka index of liquid stocks gained […]
Sri Lanka public enterprises eating development capital: minister
June 29, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state enterprises are eating capital that could have been used for the country’s growth, while some workers are getting a salary and not even reporting to work, a senior government minister said. “For almost 50 years our state enterprises have stolen from the treasury,” deputy finance minister Sarath […]
Sri Lankan stocks down on travel warning, profit taking
June 29, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed down on Monday partly owing to the customary month-end profit taking by retailers, while a US government travel warning dampened investor spirits, brokers said.Mahaweli Reach Hotel closed at 19.00 rupees, down 1.00, while The Light House closed at 66.00 rupees, down 2.00. Trans Asia Hotel closed […]
Sri Lanka accuses IMF of playing politics
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Friday accused the International Monetary Fund of politicizing financial aid following the fund’s delay in considering a 1.9-billion-dollar bailout for the war-ravaged economy. “Never ever has the IMF taken political factors into account. Now, it seems for the first time they are doing that — indirectly,” […]