Foreign firms operated during wartime to be honoured

Global Commerce Excellence Awards 2012, which is to be held shortly, will honour the international businesses that helped to run the Sri Lankan economy and create jobs against all odds, during the terror period of the LTTE.

Qatar Airways Launches Latest Global Sale at Midnight

Doha, QATAR – Qatar Airways is offering customers in Qatar and around the world great savings to more than 100 destinations during its latest three-day global sale starting at midnight.

Buy tickets for Cricket Matches on your Mobitel phone – for the First Time in Sri Lanka

For the first time in Sri Lanka, Mobitel gives you the opportunity to purchase tickets for cricket matches via your Mobitel phone. This special service, offered via the National Mobile Service Provider’s mTicketing platform, is available by simply dialing 365 from any Mobitel connection.

Lanka’s internet and email subscribers grow

The number of internet and email subscribers in Sri Lanka increased by 77.3% Year-on-Year (YOY) during the second quarter of this year reaching approximately 1.15 million subscribers according to the latest economic indicators report from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Long term T-bill yields up

Treasuries yields rose on long term bills during today's auction while yields on short term bills remain flat, the Public Debt Department of the Central Bank said.

Reviving growth- Let policymakers be serious

The challenge for Sri Lanka is to develop a policy framework that would stabilize the economy, boost investment and growth and earn rather than borrow reserves. All shades of political opinion are now focused on these issues.

Elephant House net declines 4%; Keells Super still in red

John Keells group's, Ceylon Cold Stores, popularly known as Elephant House, saw a 4 percent year-on-year (YoY) decline in net profits to Rs.179.3 million for the September quarter (2Q13), with its Keells Super supermarket chain still in the red, the interim financial accounts released to the Colombo Stock Exchange showed

Sri Lanka amongst ideal frontier markets - HSBC

Sri Lanka was highlighted alongside the frontier markets Vietnam and Bangladesh, as being ideal investments for foreign investors with a high risk appetite seeking to diversify their equity portfolios, in an equity strategy report from HSBC.

September trade gap narrows significantly

Sri Lanka’s September trade gap narrowed as significantly as 43.3 percent yearon-year (YoY) to US$ 513.1 million, while the cumulative trade gap for the period from January to September narrowed 0.3 percent to US$ 6.7 billion.

Lankan Angel Network launched

The Lankan Angel Network (LAN), the first of its kind in Sri Lanka is launched with the purpose of bringing together the Sri Lankan investor and mentor community and to scale the startup ecosystem.

How to benefit from market cycles when investing in stock market

Stock markets around the world follow cycles, just like business cycles. As investors, it is vital we understand this fact and invest accordingly. In general, there are ‘Presidential cycles’ (Yes! It is a well-accepted term in the US), Elliot waves and Kondrateiv cycles.

Winning over competition – Sun Tsu style

If you ask a dozen successful Chinese entrepreneurs to name the best business book ever, chances are such ten will say, The Art of War. It was written by a Chinese general named Sun Tzu more than 2,500 years ago, possibly in the sixth century BC.

New vehicle registrations slump 39% in August

New motor vehicle registration during the month of August fell 38.7 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) to 27, 766 amidst import duty increase on motor vehicles, the official data issued by the Central Bank showed.

Mobitel opens second Contact Centre in Mullativu

In its continuous mission to lead Sri Lanka’s ICT transformation across the island, the National Mobile Service Provider, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel opened its second regional contact centre in Mullaitivu recently.

Treasury Official Says: Too Much Transparency

Addressing a forum and panel discussion on the topic of ‘Capital Markets, Integrity and Development’ organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, Dr Batagoda voiced his opinion on the right of information in Sri Lanka.

G20 leaders begin talks to tackle eurozone crisis

G20 finance chiefs yesterday began two days of talks aimed at quelling fears of a global economic downturn amid a persistent Eurozone debt crisis and a looming fiscal crunch in the United States.

SLTPB participates in World Travel Mart

World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global event of Travel and Tourism Trade, is scheduled to kick off today (November 5) at the Excel Exhibition Hall, London.

Avirate opens at UB City Mall Bangalore

Avirate, a truly Sri Lankan brand is not only expanding locally, but internationally as well. They are proud to announce that they have expanded in India as of recent in UB City Bangalore, India’s first Luxury Mall.

Tea industry in doldrums

The Planters Association of Ceylon (PA) yesterday said that the cost of production in Sri Lanka’s historic tea industry has sky rocketed with labour costs accounting for the largest component in the production process.

Economy to grow 6-6.5% next 10 years - RAM

Sri Lanka’s economy has been forecast to grow at 6.0%-6.5% on average for the remainder of this decade, according to a report from RAM Ratings (Lanka) Ltd.

Bourse at 8-week low in light trade

Sri Lankan stocks eased to their lowest in eight weeks yesterday in light trade. Retail investors sold bank and finance shares but many stayed away, waiting for direction from next week’s budget and corporateearnings.

Why it’s important to focus on health at work

We have heard so much about workplace stress. As organisations are driven towards more and more success, especially during tough economic times...

Ceypetco seeks more oil barrels

Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Petroleum Corp (Ceypetco) is seeking 870,000 barrels of oil products for delivery in November, as the country’s sole refinery is shut after exhausting its supply of mainly Iranian crude oil, industry sources said yesterday.

Long-term T-bill yields up

Treasury yields rose across all maturities at yesterday auction with 12-month longterm yields rising most, the Public Debt Department of the Central Bank said.

NTB gets new Chairman

The banking unit of John Keells group, Nations Trust Bank (NTB) has appointed Arjuna Gunaratne as its new Chairman with effect from today

Stockbrokers praise SEC for recent rule changes

Issuing a media statement yesterday, the umbrella body for Sri Lanka’s brokering community, the Colombo Stock Brokers’ Association (CSBA) welcomed the change made by the SEC

Understanding International Customs Law for better Logistics

In any economy, the Customs plays a crucial role in trade operations and revenue collection. From a trade and industry perspective, it directly affects the private rights and obligations of citizens thus Customs Legal Framework plays a very important role.

Latex allergy still an issue for Hevea rubber growers?

It has been claimed that Russian dandelion (Taraxcacum kok-saghyz) and Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) performs like Hevea rubber but contains none of the proteins that cause latex allergies.

Stocks at 7-week low : Budget awaited

Sri Lankan stocks dipped yesterday to a more-than seven-week low as most investors waited on the sidelines ahead of the announcement of 2013 budget, while the rupee fell on importer dollar demand, dealers said.

September tea output up 11.9 percent on improved weather

Sri Lanka’s tea production rose in September for a second straight months on improved weather, data from the state-run Tea Board showed, after output dropped for six straight months from February as an extended drought hit output of the island nation’s top agricultural export commodity.