Nokia sues Apple for infringing patents, industry back on war footing

REUTERS: Nokia Corp said it had filed a number of lawsuits against Apple Inc for violating 32 technology patents, striking back at the iPhone maker’s legal action targeting the one-time cellphone industry leader a day earlier.

SLT and SLASSCOM present Cloud-based Microservices Architecture

Sri Lanka Telecom together with SLASSCOM  recently presented one of the globally emerging topics of Cloud-based ‘Microservices Architecture’ through a knowledge sharing programme themed, ‘TechTalk’.  

Metropolitan to unveil Micromax Bolt and Bolt Supreme 2 smartphones

Metropolitan Telecom Services (Pvt) Ltd, an authorised distributor for Micromax Informatics, will launch two new robust Android smartphones in Sri Lanka: the Micromax Bolt (Q346) and Bolt Supreme 2 (Q301). 

Will Port City be next Singapore?

There are many Christmas trees in the malls down Orchard Road in Singapore. In fact, when one takes the ride from Changi Airport into the city these days, the tourism promotion machinery begins with the taxi drivers 

Lankan property development industry has huge potential to attract FDI: Mangala

Following is the speech delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera as the chief guest at the ground-breaking and inauguration of Havelock City Commercial Development by Overseas Realty PLC, held yesterday. 

Let’s look back and learn some lessons

We are now spending the last few days of the year 2016, during which, we played different roles and collected a lot of experiences by succeeding as well as failing at what we were doing. It is based on the majority of good or bad stories that we had to experience. 

ComBank affirmed Best SME Bank in Sri Lanka

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been declared the‘Best SME Bank’ in Sri Lanka in 2016 by International Finance Magazine (IFM) of the UK, for ‘making a significant difference and adding value, and achieving the highest standards of innovation and performance’for Small and Medium Enterprise clients. 

ICICI Bank joins LankaPay Common ATM Network

ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank by consolidated total assets, recently joined ‘LankaPay Common ATM Network’, the national payment network that facilitates high quality electronic financial services at affordable prices in a secure, reliable and convenient manner to all in Sri Lanka. 

LB Finance wins Gold, Silver and Bronze at Annual Report Awards

LB Finance PLC clinched 3 elite awards at the 52nd Annual Report Awards organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka for their excellent performance, topping all achievements.  The event renewed recognition and reputation for enhanced financial reporting standards in the corporate sector of Sri Lanka in line with global benchmarks.

Catering to future generation will be challenging: DFCC Senior Vice President

DFCC Bank will launch a unique savings proposition for families with the objective of empowering them to build a secure financial foundation in the New Year. This scheme will be launched on the 1st of January and all DFCC’s branches will be open to welcome customers for business as usual. In this interview, DFCC’s Senior Vice President, Consumer Banking, Gillian Edwards, talks about this special offer in detail.

BOC 18 SmartGen Plus offers scholarships for 2017 A/L highflyers

As students get ready to face their Advance Level in the year 2017, the Bank of Ceylon is set to reward their achievement with a valuable scholarship award. 

Sri Lankan envoy attends AMCHAM event

From left: Dr Kumudu Gunasekara (Vice President  AMCHAM / Director of Stax),   Asanka Rathnayake (Director Hayleys Advantis),  Radhika Obeyesekere  (CEO AMCHAM),   Ambassador to the USA Prasad Kariyawasam,   Ravin Basnayake (President AMCHAM / Country Manager Citi Bank Sri Lanka),   Suren Rajanathan (Vice  President 3M Sri Lanka) and Bede  Dhammika Cooray (CEO/MD ADMO Vinseth Engineering) 

Sri Lanka set to host 2nd Pakistan single country exhibition

Introducing a series of invaluable business and commercial opportunities to the Sri Lankan market, the Pakistan High Commission in partnership with Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) announced the second consecutive Pakistan single country exhibition. 

Cinnamon Air aircraft suffers damages

Cinnamon Air yesterday said an amphibious float of one of its aircraft was damaged whilst on the water at the Polgolla Reservoir in Kandy on December 22. 

DFCC Bank's unique savings proposition to empower families in the New Year

DFCC Bank will launch a unique savings proposition for families with the objective of empowering them to build a secure financial foundation in the New Year.

Energy regulator calls for urgent action to avert power crisis in 2017

The energy regulator, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), has written to state-owned electricity supplier, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), to enact contingency measures in order to prevent a power shortage within the first four months of 2017.

Group Lease appoints two directors to Commercial Credit board

Group Lease Holdings, a Singaporean subsidiary of Thai-listed Group Lease Public Company Limited (GL), has appointed two directors to the Colombo Stock Exchange listed Commercial Credit and Finance PLC after purchasing a 29.9 percent stake in the Sri Lankan entity.

Fortress Resorts to build Rs.2.1bn 5-star property in Mirissa

La Forteresse (Private) Limited, a fully-owned subsidiary of Dhammika Perera-controlled Fortress Resorts PLC, has invested Rs. 364 million in a subsidiary, to go ahead with its previously planned Rs. 2.1 billion 5-star property in Mirissa.

Oil steadies above US $55 ahead of supply cut deal

REUTERS: Oil steadied above US$ 55 a barrel yesterday, drawing support from expectations of tighter supply once the first output cut deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers in 15 years takes effect on Sunday.

Shares hit more than 8-month closing low; turnover slumps

REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares closed at their weakest in more than eight months in typical year-end holiday-thinned trading yesterday, with turnover slumping to a near 33-month low as investors stayed away.

China to speed up drafting overseas investment regulations

REUTERS: China will speed up drafting regulations on overseas investment, as investment in sectors such as property has shown irregularities, a senior commerce ministry official was quoted as saying yesterday.

ADB loans US $ 150mn to CEB for clean power generation

The Asian Development Bank (CEB) has agreed to loan US$ 150 million to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) under a treasury guarantee for the second tranche of the of Green Power Development and Energy Efficiency Improvement Investment Programme.

Hayleys reveals plans to build ‘World Export Centre’ twin towers

Sri Lanka’s diversified Hayleys group yesterday revealed its latest venture, the ‘World Export Centre,’ a state-of-the-art ‘A’ grade office twin towers, with 55 floors each, having 3.8 million square feet of commercial 

Never discount the value of competition, says Hans

An era is set to conclude with Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, who, in short, spearheaded Sri Lanka’s mobile revolution, stepping down from the Group CEO position at Dialog Axiata PLC to take up a full-time regional role for Dialog Axiata PLC’s parent, Malaysia’s Axiata Group, from next year. In this backdrop, Mirror Business met with Dr. Wijayasuriya to have a brief chat with him over his legacy, succession, business and the future of S

State support paramount to fast-track plantation industry’s US $ 10bn dream

We salute Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for his calculated and dedicated efforts in intervening genuinely to uplift the ailing industry.

Quo Vadis – Whither goes thou Sri Lanka?

The most current local newspapers carried articles covering a Sri Lankan economy analysis by Professor Razeen Sally. I too was there to listen to him speaking his piece and want to add my mite congratulating him for the well-analysed sense he spoke and to state my appreciation to the organisers for presenting such an event. 

Leema Creations clinches National Gold Award

Leema Creations (Pvt) Ltd, the most sought after ‘interior specialist’ in Sri Lanka had been honoured with the National Gold Award for large category segment at the “Entrepreneur of the Year 2016’, annual ceremony organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industries in Sri Lanka (FCCISL). 

Grays wins Intersport award

Grays International was named as Team Sports Supplier of the year for 2016 by Intersport UK at their annual awards ceremony in Birmingham last week, with Adidas and Nike taking second and third place.

Ceyoka launches KeenMind for natural cognitive support

In today’s fast paced world, clarity of memory and improved concentration are crucial cognitive abilities. Several randomized placebo clinical trials have demonstrated that the Ayurvedic herb extract ‘Bacopamonnieri’, promotes mental clarity in both children and adults. Sri Lankans refer to this plant as ‘luniwila’.

NSB holds annual Christmas carols

The annual Christmas carols organized by the National Savings Bank (NSB) was held recently  at the NSB head office premises.