Duchess of Cambridge - Reinventing motherhood in the 21ST century

Some things in life will never go out of fashion as the world’s most photographed after her late mother-in-law...

July monetary policy on hold; long-term lending rates to ease

The Monetary Board of t he Central Bank (CB) yesterday decided to keep the current monetary policy on hold leaving the repurchase rate and the reverse repurchase rate at 7 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Hambantota Port receives only 24 vessels during 2011-12

Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MMRP) in Hambantota has received only 24 vessels in total during the years 2011 and 2012, the latest Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Annual Report disclosed.

Global rubber industry’s recent performance

The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) in it’s report released recently has said that the world total rubber consumption increased sharply in January 2013, rising to 26.1 million before falling down to 26.0 million tonnes in March 2013, as measured by the moving annual total (MAT).

Greater accountability needed in State Enterprises

Sri Lanka’s parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) says that some state enterprises have caused a loss of Rs. 15 billion to the Treasury. Today there are around 235 state enterprises in Sri Lanka.

Morocco looking for more trade, JVS with Sri Lanka

Morocco has shown keen interest to boost trade and industrial cooperation with Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's first Common ATM Switch, 'Lanka Pay' launched

Lanka Pay, Sri Lanka’s first Common ATM Switch connecting Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank ATM networks was launched yesterday.

No real economic transformation: Expert

The extremely low level of unemployment and the single digit poverty in Sri Lanka have been achieved not due to a real transformation of the economy but as a result of higher temporary migration and the ever bloating public sector, a top economist in the country said.

James Packer’s local consortium gets tax concessions

Controversial tax concessions to Australian casino mogul, James Packer’s local consortium, Lake Leisure was given official approval by Minister of Investment Promotion, Laksman Yapa Abeywardena.

Govt. to regulate supermarkets

In what could be another major shift in the country’s retail sector, the government last week announced it would formulate a systematic mechanism to regulate the supermarkets, to protect the rural small scale farmers/vendors.

Are you a less sophisticated investor?

This article will unfold an ideal investment opportunity for less sophisticated investors. There are many ways in which an individual could invest in the stock market. One such method would be through unit trust (UT).

From crisis to sustenance : It’s not a matter of meeting but exceeding customer expectations

If you are in selling or servicing business, very likely, your organisation would have already implemented one or more customer-focused strategies and some form of customer service system. At some point, you or your organisation has probably been asked the question

Status elevation ups debt vulnerability: Economist

The changing debt dynamics as a result of Sri Lanka graduating to lower middle income status has increased the country’s debt vulnerability, and the situation could aggravate to a crisis unless the government takes remedial measures to address the situation, a leading economist in the country said.

Krrish Group denies foul play, cautions negative implications for investment

Indian real-estate developer Krrish Group released a statement yesterday reiterating its commitment to transparency, denying any wrong-doing in the acquisition of land for its US$ 650 million mixed development.

High interest shown for Ag-biz North exhibition in Killinochchi

The first ever agricultural exhibition to be held in a former war-torn city has been received with high enthusiasm, as all the exhibition space being sold out, a statement issued by Ceylon Chamber of Commerce noted.

South Asia confronts displacement

Thankfully, the eventual impact of Cyclone Mahasen on South Asia was softer than feared before it struck land this...

Sri Lanka welcomes half a million tourists in first six months

Sri Lanka crossed 512,281 tourist arrivals in the first half of 2013 (1H13) edging closer to the targeted 1.25 million arrivals by the end of this year.

Bourse in red amid slow foreign buying

The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) of the Colombo Stock Exchange dropped below the psychological 6,000 point mark yesterday amid lack of foreign buying in the market.

How will China tackle economic slowdown?

Both Japan’s post-World War II recovery and China’s resurgence over the last three decades were export-driven. Manufacturing, based on low-cost labour, was the key determinant of the initial transformation process in both instances.

Sri Lanka bets on high-end casinos to boost economy

AFP: Multi-million-dollar casinos planned for Colombo have boosted Sri Lanka’s ambitious hopes of becoming Asia’s new gambling hotspot, but the projects still face political and religious opposition.

Moody’s says Asian banks’ asset quality weakening

The credit quality of banks in the Asia Pacific has likely hit a cyclical peak and many of the region’s lenders will suffer a drop in asset quality over the next 1-2 years as interest rates rise, Moody’s Investors Service warned on Tuesday.

CB signals another rate cut in Sep/Oct

Nearly two months into a policy rate cut in May, the Central Bank Governor, Ajith Nivard Cabraal has signaled again another round of monetary easing in September or October, a decision that appears to be dependent on inflation expectations.

“Short-term pain, long-term gain” scenario for JKH: Report

John Keells Holdings PLC’s (JKH) proposed US $ 850 million integrated resort project in Glennie Street would be a significant hit to the company’s bottom line in the short-term, though the project is expected to be a long-term boon, an equities report stated.

Reconditioned vehicle registrations outperform brand new: Analysis

Registrations of reconditioned vehicles in Sri Lanka continued to recover parallel to a decline in brand new registrations during the month of June.

Forward guidance more than passing fashion for central banks

“Watch what we do, not what we say,” was the central bank mantra for generations. But no more.

Inclusive and sustained growth in Asia: The role of fiscal policy

Fiscal management has improved in Asia over the past decade. It has become more responsive to economic conditions and thereby helped stabilize growth, especially during the global financial crisis.

VAT on retailers begins to pinch business value chains

The imposition of the value-added tax (VAT) net has eroded the margins of wholesale and retail businesses in the country and the impact has now begun to be felt through the value chains as the producers too have had to bear some of the impact, Mirror Business observes.

SL given ‘partner’ status of top Indian trade fair

Sri Lanka has been awarded the ‘partner country’ status in the forthcoming Industrial India Trade Fair, which is taking place for the 26th time in Kolkata. The trade fair, which is considered the only large scale international trade-related event in North Eastern India, is attended by 12 countries including Japan.

CSE to hold next investor forum in Hong Kong

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has planned its third investor forum outside Sri Lanka to lure foreign investors to the country’s capital market. The investor forum will be held on September 9 at the Island Shangri-La Hotel in Hong Kong.

Investing in stock market: Is your money in safe hands?

We invest our hard earned money in the equity market in order to reap high returns. Money is invested through a licenced stockbroker firm. There are licensed investment advisors attached to these firms. They are expected to advice clients on suitable investment opportunities.