Fol toppee and fan cake – so what?

In the recent past I read with great interest a project initiated by the government encouraging people to speak English. Saw the ‘Master Blaster’ Sanath and the Sprint Queen Susanthika on TV giving encouragement to the concept: Speak any way you can; forget grammar and pronunciation; the intention is to communicate.

Government debt tops Rs.5900bn in May

Sri Lanka’s total outstanding government debt stood at Rs.5902.2 billion as at end of May 2012, against Rs.4800.9 billion reported during the same period of 2011, the latest data released by the Central Bank showed.

Stocks rise 1.2% to highest close since June 20

Sri Lankan stocks yesterday rose 1.2 percent to their highest close since June 20, which dealers said stemmed largely from foreign buying of heavyweight John Keells Holdings.

Lankan stock market roiled by scandal

Sri Lanka’s stock market, once a darling of investors, has seen its value plummet 26 per cent in the past year and now faces a crisis of confidence after its regulator quit in a storm of controversy.

No official communication so far - Godahewa

It is widely speculated that Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chief Dr. Nalaka Godahewa will be appointed as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) new Chairman, following the contentious resignation of Tilak Karunaratne.

Spice traders call for national action plan to rescue industry

In the backdrop of lowered spice production in Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Spices and Allied Producers and Traders Association, Viren Ruberu, called for the formation of a national action plan to develop the industry.

P/E ratio- what you need to know

The price-earnings ratio (P/E) is hands down the most popular ratio among investors. Value investors have long considered the price-earnings ratio a useful metric for evaluating the relative attractiveness of a company’s stock price. Made popular by the late Benjamin Graham, who was dubbed the ‘father of value investing’ as well as Warren Buffett’s mentor, Graham preached the virtues of this financial ratio as one of

Take ‘hands-off’ approach to managing your team

The concept of ‘managing your team’ is not intuitive for many managers and for some it even cuts against the grain of what they think they should do as bosses. A high-functioning team can’t be created by decree. Real teams - ones that do collective work - perform well not when the boss demands it, but when their colleagues expect it.

First half trade balance widens; June gap narrows

Sri Lanka’s trade gap for the first half of the year 2012 widened 11.8 percent Yearon-Year to US $ 4.7 billion, a statement released by the Central Bank noted.

DIMO launches ‘My Service’

As part of its continued commitment to customer satisfaction, the authorised distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka – DIMO is launching...

Bourse jumps over 1.6%; surpasses 5,000 points mark

Sri Lankan stocks jumped more than 1.6 percent to a two-month high yesterday with foreign investors net buyers for a 23rd straight day as financials led the field.

Manpower snag to hit mega construction projects

Manpower shortfall in the construction industry will be a pivotal issue to be addressed by policymakers, particularly at a time when mega social and physical infrastructure projects are happening all over Sri Lanka, President of Chamber of Construction Industry (CCI) stated.

AVIVA NDB records LKR 5.8 billion revenue at half year

The financial results of AVIVA NDB Insurance presented for the six months ending 30th June 2012 recorded consolidated revenue amounting to LKR 5,812 million.  This was a decline compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

Shaw Wallace land sale falls prey to India - China politics

Recent reports about a prime block of land in Colpetty belonging to a listed company in the island being sold off to a Chinese state-owned aviation company, has sparked off controversy, though it’s purely a private deal between the two companies.

Leadership lessons from Olympics

With a little British pomp and a lot of British pop, London brought the curtain down on a glorious Olympic Games to a close. However, it was some of the great athletes at those games more than the pomp and the pop that really made a lasting impression on everyone by doing things out of the ordinary. 

Femina Magazine features Avirate on Cover

Avirate a brand that pioneers the fashion industry in Sri Lanka has had the pleasure of their dresses being featured in the Femina Magazine India cover page twice.

Consumer spending drops amidst cost increases - Nielsen

Consumer spending dipped during the second quarter of this year as inflation hit 9.8% in July, despite an annual average inflation of approximately 6%, according to a report from the research firm, ACNielsen.

Central Bank sees rupee firming helped by inflows

Sri Lanka's Central Bank believes the rupee can strengthen to around 125 per U.S. dollar due to high foreign inflows into the economy, the head of the country's monetary authority said yesterday.

Growing belief in Agroforestry

Commercial agroforestry, aimed at integrating tree crops with agricultural crops and animals to increase land productivity, is the way to go towards enhancing timber and food production.

Dialog Launches MMS Newspaper Service with Daily Mirror for the First Time in Sri Lanka

Now read local and international news headlines from your mobile device from the comfort of your home or on the go as Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider Dialog Axiata PLC is offering its subscribers to catch the daily headlines on the go via MMS Newspaper from The Daily Mirror.

TESS opens canned fish factory in Sri Lanka

Senior Adviser to the President and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, declared open the largest canned fish factory in Sri Lanka, TESS Mackerel Canned Fish of TESS Agro PLC, in Peliyagoda recently.

Doom or boom for bourse?

Some may call it a triumph of the evil and others a victory against tyranny. But all will depend on how the market will respond to the news in the coming few weeks and months to the news of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Thilak Karunaratne's resignation last Friday.

Trading practices and conduct of a stockbroker

The stockbroker (investment advisor) and the stockbroker firm are the two primary relationships you will have when you begin your journey to investing. As an investor, choosing a broker is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make.

Simply put, good incentives bring good results!

Money, which has always been considered great for buying stuff, is also useful for keeping score and might help people make better decisions. New studies have claimed that without any kind of incentive, people’s decisions may seem irrational and have little logical connection.

Market dips despite so-called 'good news'

Although certain investors and a section of the stockbroking community were seen toasting the impending resignation of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman, Tilak Karunaratne on Tuesday and Wednesday by sending market indices up, the market dipped yesterday with thin volumes and poor turnover.

Basil directs BOI to find suitable locations for proposed pharma hub

Minister of Economic Development, Basil Rajapakse has directed the Board of Investment (BoI) to explore possible sites for the setting up of a pharmaceutical hub.

Delivery 2.0: New challenge for governments

McKinsey & Company, the leading management consultancy, has undertaken a great deal of work in assisting governments around the world to improve...

‘Regulatory Capture’ at SEC cries Harsha

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Tilak Karunaratne was forced to resign when he was about to take action against the wrongdoers as per the SEC Act, UNP National List MP Dr. Harsha De Silva charged yesterday.

Focus on global pharma market- India tells Lanka

In its first-ever official level discussions with Sri Lanka on the proposed pharmaceutical manufacturing hub, which has now excited the Lankan private sector, India has given a strong, structured recommendation on the way forward for Sri Lanka’s dream: ‘Focus on the huge global market first’.

Transparency & efficiency, vital to sustain investments- Halpin

In the backdrop of a shift in economic momentum towards the East on a global scale, competition for investment has increased drastically; investment which will prove crucial to Sri Lanka’s future economic prosperity.