Economy & Markets

Sri Lanka stock exchange blacks out foreign trading stats online

March, 01 (LBO) – Colombo Stock Exchange blacked out foreign trading statistics off automated trading terminals Thursday in a bid to reduce 'market …

Sri Lanka point-to-point inflation eases, but still at 10-year highs

February, 28 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo fell 1.3 percent in the month of February easing 12-month inflation to 19.2 percent …

Sri Lanka’s Sampath to raise 250 million rupees of 5-year money

February 26 (LBO) - Sampath bank is raising 250 million rupees through a privately placed debenture to boost its tier two capital, the bank said. It has a 30.8 …

Bras push up Sri Lanka’s lingerie hopes

BIYAGAMA, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - For some engineers in this Sri Lankan industrial town, making women happy is their main job -- they design sexy bras which are …

Zimbabwe asked to stop money printing by IMF as Sri Lanka trail 1600:20

February, 24 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Zimbabwe not to print money and called for fundamental policy changes to stabilize …

Sri Lanka Central Bank raises interest rates by 0.5% to contain inflation

Feb 23 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's central bank Friday raised its key policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 12.00 percent to dampen rising prices as …

Sri Lanka and South Asia to gain by freeing trade: report

Feb 20 (LBO) – South Asian countries including Sri Lanka could make huge gains by freeing up trade in education, health and tourism and lowering other …

Sri Lanka rebels say truce dead, monitors leave embattled region

COLOMBO, Feb 23, 2007 (AFP) - Sri Lanka truce monitors pulled out of an embattled northern region where thousands of civilians were on the run fearing a fresh …

Australian warship intercepts boatload of Sri Lankans

SYDNEY, Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) - An Australian warship has intercepted a boat carrying 85 Sri Lankans towards a Canberra-controlled island in the Indian Ocean, …

Sri Lanka to revamp consumer price index as inflation soars

Feb 22, 2007 (AFP) - Sri Lanka said Thursday it plans to rejig its consumer price index basket to reflect changed food and lifestyle trends as inflation based …

Fewer Sri Lankans work abroad due to war, better pay at home

Feb 21, 2007 (AFP) - War in the Middle East and equal paying jobs at home led to a sharp drop in Sri Lankans working abroad in 2006 as maids, clerks and …

Sri Lanka exports to India drops for the first time on trade wars

Feb 19 (LBO) – For the first time in a decade, Sri Lanka’s exports to India dropped last year, following trade disputes over the island’s …

British debt relief to Sri Lanka held back over human rights and defence spending

Feb 18 (LBO) – Millions of pounds worth debt-relief to Sri Lanka is hanging in the balance with Britain saying that queries have been raised over human …

Sri Lanka housing bank to raise 500 million rupees and branch out to lifestyle loans

Feb 15, 2007 (LBO) - HDFC Bank is to raise 500 million rupees through a 4-year debenture shortly and branch out into related lending schemes officials said. …

Red tape stifles Sri Lanka’s business confidence

Feb 13, 2007 (AFP) - High taxes and rigid labour laws are weighing on business confidence in troubled Sri Lanka, which is one of the worst places to do …

Sri Lanka exports slow in 2006; remittances and borrowings bridge the gap

February 12 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's exports growth slowed to 8.4 percent in 2006 from 10.2 percent, while imports grew by 15.7 percent, widening the trade …

Reforms slash poverty in Sri Lanka’s western province, bad policies worsen it elsewhere

February 08 (LBO) – Economic reforms has slashed poverty in Sri Lanka's western province while backward policies that kept agriculture stagnant in rural …

Sri Lanka government treasuries edge up in tight conditions

February, 07 (LBO) - Sri Lanka treasuries yields edged up by an average 24 basis points at Wednesday's auction, the public debt office reported, but dealers …

Philippines inflation hits 3-year low at 3.9 percent in January

MANILA, Feb 6, 2007 (AFP) - The Philippines posted an inflation rat of 3. online pharmacy buy diflucan with best prices today in the USA buy elavil online …

Sri Lanka’s tax department tries to rope in larger numbers of taxpayers

Jan 30, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tax office is moving towards increasing the number of taxpayers to five percent of the total population, a top …