Turkey issues e-Visas for Sri Lankans

?Sri Lankan citizens are now entitled to apply for Turkish visas through the Electronic Visa (e-Visa) Application System. A Sri Lankan citizen may obtain an e-Visa fulfilling the following requirements:

Joint seminar on reinsurance

A seminar on ‘Practical application of reinsurance principles and its modern trend’ was recently held at Galadari Hotel Colombo jointly organized by the National Insurance Trust Fund and Indian Insurance Institution.

Port of Colombo handles 5mn containers first time in history

?For the first time in history, the Port of Colombo has achieved 5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), a press statement from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said. 

Union Bank strengthens branch network with 64th branch in Kohuwala

?Union Bank extended   its island wide reach with the opening of its 64th branch in Kohuwala; in continuation of the Bank’s intent to become the ‘neighbourhood bank’ serving households across the island.  

Eran offers to sell Mihin to MR for one rupee

As loss making state owned enterprises (SOEs) are identified as a major hindrance in moving the economy forward, Deputy Minister Public Enterprise Development Eran Wickramaratne recently said that if required by members of previous regime...

Mercantile Investments and Finance relocates Balangoda branch

?Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC has relocated its Balangoda branch, to another location in Balangoda at Haputhale Road, Balangoda to give its customers a more spacious and convenient services setting in Balangoda. 

IMF bailout unavoidable next year: Prof. Sally

?Given the tight liquidity in capital markets due to the rise in global interest rates, a bail-out package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is unavoidable for Sri Lanka next year, according to Professor Razeen Sally, an economist with international repute.  

NDB opens latest branch in Tissamaharama

NDB opened its latest branch in Tissamaharama with the intention of further strengthening its financial services to the residents in the Southern Province. With this opening, NDB branch network has now grown to ninety three (93), 

PM kick starts Tourism Fest

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe officially inaugurated the “Tourism Fest 2015 with a Spirit of Christmas” campaign organized by Sri Lanka Tourism at the Arcade-Independence Square on Saturday evening. 

PM kick starts Tourism Fest (2)

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe officially inaugurated the “Tourism Fest 2015 with a Spirit of Christmas” campaign organized by Sri Lanka Tourism at the Arcade-Independence Square on Saturday evening. 

HNB wins CIOB Green Mark – Gold Plus award

?The Jaffna Green Building of Hatton National Bank (HNB) won the prestigious ‘CIOB Green Mark – Gold Plus’ award at the 2nd CIOB Green Mark awards ceremony. 

People’s expectations post-January 8: Opportunity must not be wasted?

Maithripala Sirisena, with the support of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s UNP, the country’s largest political party, won the election on the promise of ‘Yaha Palanaya’ or good governance. 

Trying their luck

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose 20.4 percent to 144,147 in November 2015 from a year earlier, driven by China, India, United Kingdom and Germany, according to state tourism promotion office data. Picture shows a group of tourists in Colombo purchasing local lotteries to try their luck. Pic by Kithsiri de Mel

Sri Lanka amends 2016 budget amid public protest

REUTERS: Sri Lanka’s new government has amended 2016 budget proposals, a move that could widen the fiscal deficit, after trade unions and farmers protested over long-term fiscal tightening measures.

Asia markets hit as oil sinks and Fed effect wears off

AFP - Asian stock markets fell back yesterday after a two-day rally boosted by the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hike, as the rout in oil prices returned to centre stage, with commodity-linked shares again taking a hit.

Emerging East eyes investors

In an effort to achieve greater economic prosperity, the emerging Eastern Province is gathering steam to showcase its potential and untapped opportunities to investors early next year.

SriLankan presents ‘Christmas on Wings’ for 32nd time

SriLankan Airlines once again presents its Yuletide extravaganza of music, dance, drama and prayer, ‘Christmas on Wings’, featuring the talented members of the staff of the national carrier.

GSP+ likely to balance out TPP effects: Rishad

Sri Lanka’s apparel sector is assured that potential effects, if any, from the biggest global trade agreement in two decades are likely to be balanced out by the return of GSP Plus’

Tapie affair: Lagarde takes hit but support holds at IMF

AFP - Ordered to stand trial in France, IMF chief Christine Lagarde is counting on the broad support and high esteem she enjoys at the global institution as she faces a tough legal ordeal at home.

Rupee edges down on importer dollar demand

REUTERS - The Sri Lankan rupee fell to near its record low yesterday due to importer dollar demand, with currency dealers expecting the currency to weaken further in 2016 due to lower reserves and higher imports.

Oil heads for third straight weekly loss as supply weighs

REUTERS: Oil prices edged higher yesterday as investors closed positions ahead of the end of the year though crude was still heading for a third weekly loss in a row, its longest losing streak in four months.

StanChart may see white knight takeover on painful recovery: CLSA

UK bank Standard Chartered (StanChart) could be acquired by a white knight as its recovery could prove to be “challenging”, according to broker CLSA, which upgraded shares of the Asia-focused lender on that possibility.

Russia boosts oil sales in Asia, even as OPEC battles to win customers

REUTERS: Russian oil producers have strengthened their position in Asia by supplying nearly a quarter more crude this year, shifting the balance of power in one of the few bright spots in the global market and blunting OPEC’s high-profile drive to win customers.

Battle for young customers heats up in HSBC’s Asia stronghold

REUTERS: Banks in Hong Kong are intensifying the battle for young customers key to their future retail profit, offering online perks and mobile banking products in a bid to erode the dominance of HSBC in its Asian stronghold.

Apple to launch Apple Pay in China, take on Alibaba, Tencent

REUTERS: Apple Inc said it will launch its payment service in China as soon as 2016, pitting it against entrenched Chinese rivals Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings.

Rotary holds Grand Banquet to honour first Lankan Head

Hilton Colombo was the venue on Sunday of a special gathering of the elite of Sri Lankan society as Rotary Sri Lanka honoured K.R. Ravindran as he visited the country as the Rotary International President - the first Sri Lankan to hold this prestigious office.

AIA unveils a smashing wall mural

If passing through Vauxhall Street in the evening, you are bound to see the neighbourhood kids playing some serious street cricket. Armed with not much other than undeterred grit, impressive skill and striking confidence, these kids firmly believe they will make the Sri Lanka national team someday.

KPMG’s Aasif wins 2015 CA Student Best Speaker Contest 1st place

Aasif Moujood of KPMG’s Management Consultancy Division, won the first place whilst Farhath Sulaiman of KPMG’s Audit Division, won the second runner-up place and Gayashi Amarasekara, part of KPMG’s Audit Division, was selected within the top five finalists at CA Student Best Speaker Contest 2015 held recently.

Atlas fosters creativity in young minds

Atlas, the market leader in school stationery, in having at heart the mission of inspiring and inculcating creativity in children, concluded yet another engaging weeklong event for children and families that visited the National Zoological Gardens.

Pan Asia Bank holds evening of Christmas Carols

Pan Asia Bank recently organised an evening of Christmas Carols to celebrate the spirit of the season. At this event, which was held at