Category: Economy and Markets
Will continuously support Sri Lanka’s development: ADB President
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa and Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met Thursday (10th) in Colombo and it was reaffirmed by the Bank leadership that it would continue to support the islands recovery path from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Asakawa commended the government’s rapid vaccination drive, which has been critical to […]
Bond yields to extend further surge; rate hike expectations for 2022E increased: FCR
In light of the weaker economic conditions, First Capital Research believes that the CBSL will maintain the momentum on tightening policy rates resulting in yields to further surge at an accelerated pace, and expect it to move further over upcoming months. Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves were recorded at USD 2.3Bn in Feb 22 and due […]
Ceylon Chamber welcomes CBSL move towards a more flexible exchange rate
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce commends the Governor and his team at Central Bank for permitting greater flexibility in the exchange rate. This action has been proposed by the Ceylon Chamber, on its own and along with other chambers on numerous occasions in the recent past. Hence, the Chamber is pleased to note this announcement […]
Sri Lanka maintains official reserves at USD 2.3bn in February
Sri Lanka’s official reserve assets were 2.3 billion US dollars (USD 2,314mn) by the end of February, slightly down from 2.3 billion US dollars (USD 2,361mn) in January this year, the latest Central Bank data showed. By the end of February, the foreign currency reserves were 2,025 million dollars while the reserve position in the […]
CBSL allows greater flexibility in exchange rate with immediate effect; not more than Rs 230 per USD
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank says that greater flexibility in the exchange rate will be allowed to the markets with immediate effect. Releasing a statement, the bank said that they are also of the view that forex transactions would take place at levels which are not more than Rs. 230 per US dollar. Full Statement Policy […]
Nation branding of Sri Lanka on global stage requires a more collaborative approach
Nuwan Gamage, Vice President of Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka is currently facing several economic challenges and in order to steer the country out of this difficult situation, it is imperative that Sri Lanka takes bold steps that will make the country ‘future ready’. Among them, Nation Branding is an approach that can […]
Joint Chambers urge govt to resolve forex shortage; commence foreign debt restructuring & pursue IMF support
The Joint Chambers of Commerce met on March 3rd, 2022 and deliberated on the on-going forex crisis in the country and its impact on business activity and the economy. Consequent to this meeting, 9 Chambers (whose logos are shown above the text) have agreed to unanimously release the following statement. The on-going forex crisis has […]
& electricity tariffs; postpone non-urgent projects
As the Economic and Financial Advisor of the government, the Central Bank advises the Government to diligently consider a number of measures to overcome the challenging economic circumstances faced by the country. a) introducing measures to discourage non-essential and non-urgent imports urgently based on the previous recommendation made by the Central Bank b) increasing fuel […]
Central Bank further tightens Monetary Policy Stance
The Monetary Board of the Central Bank, at its meeting held on 03 March 2022, has decided to reinforce its stance adopted in January 2022. Accordingly, it has been decided to; a) increase the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank by 100 basis points each, […]
IMF wants Sri Lanka to raise income tax, VAT rates, minimize exemptions & adopt cost-recovery energy pricing
IMF Executive Board encourages Sri Lankan authorities to reform state-owned enterprises and adopt cost-recovery energy pricing while raising income tax and VAT rates and minimizing exemptions, complemented with revenue administration reform. Concluding the 2021 Article IV Consultation with Sri Lanka, the Executive Directors agreed that a tighter monetary policy stance is needed to contain rising […]
Ceylon Chamber seeks urgent action to restore electricity and fuel supply to avoid economic standstill
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce notes with serious concern the adverse effects brought on its members and all sectors of the economy in general as a result of the ongoing interruptions to the supply of electricity coupled with frequent disruptions to the availability of fuel. The Chamber is of the view that these issues are […]
Tribute: Senior Corporate Personality Sega Nagendra (1939-2022)
March 1, 2022 (LBO) – They don’t make them like they used to anymore. Senior corporate personality Sega Nagendra passed away suddenly on 28th of February 2022. Sega Nagendra was a fixture on the Sri Lankan corporate circuit. Everyone seemed to know him, and there was always positivity when his name was mentioned.My interactions span […]