Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka treasury auctions resume
July 12, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has accepted a small amount of bids from this week’s treasury bills after rejecting bids outright for two weeks in a row, data released by the public debt office showed. The government accepted 1.1 billion out of an auction of 11.3 billion rupees of maturing treasury bills.The bills, […]
Sri Lanka seeks 400 million dollars
June 12, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has asked for proposals from international banks to raise 400 million dollars in medium term bonds, banking officials said.Banks that participated in a conference yesterday in Colombo have been given until July 16 to submit proposals with the deal expected to reach closure by October. The government is […]
Sri Lanka shops for 400 million dollars as rupee dips to new low
June 12, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is shopping for 400 million dollars in medium term finance in global markets as a rising budget deficit is sending local interest rates rocketing up and the rupee fell to a new life low, bankers said. “Sooner or later it is going to blow up.” The Central Bank, […]
Sri Lankan industrialists concerned about slowing economic growth
July 11, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s top industrialists have expressed concern over the noticeable slowing down of economic growth and delays in legislating protection for local industries under new world trade rules. “Rural development is essential for growth and stability must come mainly from business linkages – not handouts.” Industry needs better access to […]
Sri Lanka had low inflation only with fiscal discipline: minister
July 07, 2007 (LBO) – The state was not in a position to control prices of imported goods and price levels can only be stabilized by stopping money printing and limiting government expenses, Sri Lanka’s consumer affairs minister said. Consumer affairs minister Bandula Gunewardene said tight monetary policy by the central bank had already brought […]
Sri Lankan apparel to get wider access to Indian market
July 06, 2007 (LBO) – India has agreed to lift restrictions relating to fabric origins on duty free Sri Lankan apparel exports to the sub-continent market in the latest trade talks between the two neighbours, a senior official said. “Now apparel exporters to India can source their fabric requirements from anywhere,” Manel de Silva, Director-General […]
Sri Lanka central bank to retail treasuries
July 05, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank will use its regional offices to sell government securities to rural investors, the bank said, as real returns on treasuries are turning positive in a market that has been shaken with a series of aborted auctions.The bank runs the government’s debt office as an agency function […]
Sri Lanka achieves reserve money target for June
July 3, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank says its reserve money target for June has been achieved comfortably, even as emerging fiscal signals continued to unsettle market participants. Short term rates have also become volatile this week, reaching towards 40 percent again. The interbank market has become after several weeks of excess liquidity […]
Sri Lanka call rates edge up despite cash injections
July 3, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s call rates moved above 35 percent with liquidity disappearing from the banking system despite the monetary authority pumping billions of rupees of new money into the system. Ministers told the media that the government may lose up to ten billion rupees through cuts of value added tax on […]
India software exports head for 60-billion-dollar mark
BANGALORE, India, July 2, 2007 (AFP) – India’s exports of software and related services are expected to almost double in three years to 60 billion dollars, maintaining the country’s lead over rivals such as China, the industry said Monday.But the rupee’s strength and a shortage of talent are major concerns for an industry that posted […]
‘s central bank keeps 7.5 percent growth forecast; halts release of GDP numbers
June 30, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economy would still grow by 7.5 percent this year despite first quarter growth sliding to 6.1 percent, the Central Bank has said, while a rising budget deficit pushed interest rates to new highs. Analysts also say a slowdown in reported growth numbers is inevitable partly because of statistical […]
Sri Lanka inflation jump 3.2 percent in June; yearly numbers trend down
June 29, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation rose 3.2 percent in June, though the 12-month increase in consumer prices fell to 13.0 percent from 13.7 percent, the government’s statistics office said. The seasonally adjusted increase in the Colombo Consumer Prices fell to 17.0 percent from 17.4 percent in May, the Department of Census and […]