Economy and Markets – Page 823 – Lanka Business Online

‘s foreign reserves fall to US$1.4bn in Jan 09

Mar 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves fell to 1,415 million US dollars from 1,753.4 million dollars in December 2008, which was enough to cover 1.3 months of imports, the Central Bank said. With Asian Clearing Union balances, reserves were 1,703 million US dollars. But imports were contracting sharply amid a global […]

Sri Lanka cuts policy rate, lifts import curbs

Mar 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has cut its de facto main signal policy rate that sets the ceiling on Interbank borrowing rates by 175 basis points to 14.75 percent, and also lifted margins on import letters of credit set late last year, the Central Bank said. The regulator has also eased curbs on […]

Sri Lankan shares slide

Mar 17, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks continued to fall on low volumes Tuesday with investors sceptical of a quick recovery owing to concerns about the poor macro economic outlook and delays in ending the war, brokers said.“The high interest rates are still hurting investments in equity.That’s why the market volumes are still low,” […]

Sri Lanka confident of selling most of US$200mn bond

March 17, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will sell “most of” a dollar denominated bond issue, a top official said amid tight conditions in capital markets that is making commercial dollar debt increasingly scarce. Two years ago the government raised 215 million dollars through dollar bonds at an average of 144.06 basis points above 6-month […]

Sri Lanka dollar bond premium up; US$184.25mn rolled over

Mar 17, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has raised 184.25 million US dollars in 2-year bonds at a premium of 540 basis points above the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the government’s debt office said. The bonds are bought by mostly resident investors who have access to foreign currency including banks. Sri Lanka offered to […]

Sri Lanka Seylan Merchant Leasing draws investors in thin trade

March 16, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended slightly weaker Monday, dragged down by heavyweights, in thin trade with investors chasing Seylan Merchant Leasing which is to be bought by the island’s largest leasing firm, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The […]

New economics column on LBO, by top economist

March 13, 2009 (LBO) – Today Lanka Business Online is starting a new column by one of Sri Lanka’s most senior and well-known economists, who has practiced, taught and written on economics for more than 35 years. The column is published in the Sinhala language under the title Balumgala in www.vimasuma.com The column ‘WatchTower’ by […]

Sri Lanka stocks becalmed as market awaits IMF support

Mar 13, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares closed almost flat Friday with a fall in the local unit of Nestle pulling down the main index in thin trade as investors stayed out of the market owing to uncertainty. Brokers said investors were disappointed by the slowdown in the war against Tamil Tigers after government […]

Sri Lankan stocks close down

Mar 12, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks continued to fall in thin trade Thursday as fears the ethnic war could drag on longer than thought added to concerns over poor company earnings, brokers said. The All Share Price Index edged down 0.22 percent (3.66 points) to end at 1,634.25 while the more liquid Milanka […]

Sri Lanka soft-peg drains reserves: ADB study

Mar 11, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves have been hit due to poor foreign exchange reserve management coming from operating a soft-peg with the US dollar, an Asian Development Bank commissioned study has said. Sri Lanka is now negotiating an IMF bailout with foreign reserves halved from September to December when active peg […]

Sri Lanka investors chase Seylan Merchant Leasing

March 11, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares ended slightly firmer Wednesday on low volumes with the most actively traded stock being Seylan Merchant Leasing which is to be bought by the island’s largest leasing firm, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The […]

Sri Lanka EPF pension fund may allow early withdrawal

Mar 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Employee’s Provident Fund (EPF) which forcibly takes a part of the salary of a private sector worker for ‘management’ by the state may allow partial withdrawals of balances if new proposals become law, officials said. Up to now desperate private workers hit by high inflation created in the […]