Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lankan stocks close flat on profit taking
June 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares lost early gains and closed down on Tuesday as investors took profits on selected blue chips, brokers said. “Retail participation was high today,” said Ganeshan. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings closed flat at 112.00 rupees. Diversified Hayleys gained 25 cents to close at 115.25, while privately held bank, […]
Sri Lankan stocks hit by profit taking
June 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares lost early gains and closed down on Tuesday as investors took profits on selected blue chips, brokers said. The Colombo All Share Price Index closed down 0.35 percent (15.47 points) to end at 2,185.00 while the Milanka index of liquid stocks gained 0.98 percent (24.07 points) to […]
Sri Lankan shares up, rupee rock steady
June 08, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks gained Monday as investors regained their confidence after last week’s court order to reverse the 2003 privatization of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) to the Distilleries Group, brokers said. The spot dollar remained unchanged at 114.90/95 levels in late afternoon trade, dealers said. The Colombo All Share […]
Sri Lanka central bank collects US$160mn since float
June 8, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank has bought 160.25 million US dollars from foreign exchange markets since a float of the currency in late March 2009, with 123.0 million collected in the month of May. As soon as the ‘quantity easing’ stops, the peg tightens. A float is necessary to break the […]
Japan envoy to discuss Sri Lanka war victims: diplomats
June 7, 2009 (AFP) – Japan will send a special envoy to Sri Lanka this week to discuss the plight of nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians displaced by recent fighting, diplomats said Sunday. Japan, Sri Lanka’s largest single aid donor, was sending Yasushi Akashi on a three-day visit starting Monday to assess Colombo’s moves to re-settle […]
Iran inflation dips below 24 pct
TEHRAN, June 7, 2009 (AFP) – Iran’s inflation rate, one of the biggest economic challenges facing its next president, dipped last month to under 24 percent, the ISNA news agency reported on Sunday. His claim was dismissed by Karroubi.Inflation fell to 23.6 percent in the Iranian calendar month of Ordibehesht ending May 21 from 24.5 […]
Sri Lanka Hemas profits hit by start-up losses, interest costs
June 05, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas Holdings said group net profit fell 31.7 percent to 775 million rupees in the 2008-09 financial year from a year ago largely owing to start-up losses and finance costs of new investments.Group revenue rose 8.3 percent to 15.3 billion rupees in the financial year ended March 31, […]
Sri Lanka gets Chinese loan for low cost housing
June 05, 2009 (LBO) –Sri Lanka’s government is to take a 500 million dollar 20-year loan from China to build 100,000 low cost houses for state sector employees, shanty dwellers and people affected by disasters, the Cabinet office said. A Cabinet memorandum on the project said the loan is to be arranged by state-owned China […]
Sri Lankan stocks recoup losses
June 05, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks Friday recovered from Thursday’s losses but still managed lose 1.71 percent during the week due to profit taking, mainly by foreign investors, brokers said. The spot dollar remained unchanged at 114.90/95 levels in late afternoon trade, dealers said. Dealers said the money market was dull this week […]
Sri Lanka Hayleys profits down on lower margins, exports
June 04, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hayleys said net profit for the 2008-09 financial year fell 31 percent to 311 million rupees from a year ago as the export-oriented group was hit by the global economic slump.Gross turnover rose five percent to 32 billion rupees in the year ended March 31, 2009, according to […]
Sri Lanka Insurance Corp sale reversed by court- Update
June 4, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court said a 2003 privatization of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) to listed Distilleries group was illegal and ordered the firm to be returned to the government and the purchase price refunded.Court ordered the government to repay more than six billion rupees originally paid by the private […]
Sri Lankan stocks hit by Distilleries verdict
June 04, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares dived on Thursday after courts reversed the privatization of an insurer controlled by a listed firm, saying it was illegal, while the rupee held steady against the greenback. The spot dollar was trading at 114.90/95 levels in late afternoon trade, dealers said. Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka […]