REUTERS: Sri Lanka’s Department of Census and Statistics withdrew its 2017 full-year and fourth quarter gross domestic product data on Friday, a day after posting the island nation’s worst economic growth in 16 years.

Seylan Bank PLC will raise Rs.10 billion in corporate debentures as the bank is shoring up capital to fund its loan growth and to meet the elevated capital ratios under the new BASEL III rules. 

Manufacturing and services sector activities expanded for the second month in a row in 2018 demonstrating that the economy is gradually gaining resilience despite the political uncertainties, which sent vibrations across the economy.

Sri Lanka’s corporate earnings recorded some robust growth during the final quarter of 2017 rebounding from a contraction in earnings in the September quarter. But earnings growth slowed when adjusted for one-off gains in few sectors. 

The government’s plans to ban tobacco farming in Sri Lanka by 2020 is being quietly fast-tracked for prohibition this year, the President of the All Ceylon Cigarette Tobacco Barn Owner’s Association (AICTBOA) said recently.

As one of the biggest beneficiaries of peace returning to the country in 2009, the President of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Sanath Ukwatte stressed the importance of unity among all communities for Sri Lanka to 

AFP: Shocked by Brexit, the European Union has made reform a top priority, spurred on by the energetic French President Emmanuel Macron who wants big changes especially for the euro, the bloc’s single currency.

REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares rose marginally yesterday, recovering from a one-and-a-half-month closing low hit in the previous session, as investors bought select blue chips in low volumes while lower economic growth weighed on the market. 

AFP: Indonesian President Joko Widodo wants Australia to become a full member of ASEAN, signalling yesterday he is keen on Canberra playing a bigger regional role in trade and defence matters.

AFP: The European Union will next week unveil plans for a digital tax on US tech giants like Facebook, Amazon and Google as transatlantic tensions flare over prospects of a trade war.

REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee hit an all-time low for a second straight session yesterday due to importer dollar demand, but ended steady as exporters sold the U.S. currency in late trade, dealers said. 

AFP: Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing announced yesterday he was stepping down as chairman of his flagship company CK Hutchison, marking the end of an era for one of the world’s most storied tycoons.

LTL Holdings, which claimed to have submitted the lowest bid of US $ 160 million for the construction of 300MW liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant in Kerawalapitiya, this week urged the authorities to think of the national interest when going ahe

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), Sri Lanka’s second largest private lender by assets, is hoping to be more aggressive in 2018, after a challenging environment for the key agriculture, tourism and construction sectors held back higher lending, th

The Tobacco Retailers’ Association yesterday voiced opposition against the government’s intentions to ban the sale of cigarettes at outlets within 100 metres of schools and places of religious worship, since such a move would drive most e

The control of payment gateways by a handful of large banks and financial institutions is trapping the e-commerce revolution from taking off in Sri Lanka, a Canadian e-commerce expert was quoted as saying in a communiqué issued by the Industry

The private debt issuances in Sri Lanka, which have thus far been spared from the regulatory purview, will soon come under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversight, as they will be required to obtain a credit rating before they raise an

A historic tripartite agreement was entered into yesterday by the three main terminal operators at the Port of Colombo to operate as one unit to further smoothen the activities at Sri Lanka’s main port.

The financial year 2017 proved to be a remarkable year for state-owned National Savings Bank (NSB) as the banking giant recorded profit before tax (PBT) of Rs.14 billion, the highest ever in its history. Profit after tax (PAT) kept abreast at Rs.9.6

Private credit growth may exceed the Central Bank projections of 13.5 percent for 2018 by a significant margin if the agriculture sector recovers this year, according to Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), Sri Lanka’s second largest private lender

The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) yesterday called on the government to take decisive action against the perpetrators of the recent civil unrest in order to send a strong message to the world that there will be no room for similar situations in

TRACE, an organisation committed to promoting technology and innovation in Sri Lanka, yesterday urged the government to reconsider the current ban of social media.

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, announced the launch of a new innovative DHL Locker. This is part of its global On Demand Delivery service offering, providing customers with an innovative and convenient

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider and the exclusive partner network for Samsung in Sri Lanka, announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus along with pre-order facilities. 

The Maldives International Education and Career Expo will be held for three consecutive days on March 29, 30, and 31, 2018, in Male´. 

IPM Sri Lanka – the nation’s leader in human resource management, conducted its popular IPM Certified HR Auditor Programme in collaboration with TV Rao Learning Systems (TVRLS), India recently at OZO Hotel in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s banks are expected to face a yet another challenge, this time from a new accounting standard, which came into effect on January 1, 2018.  The new International Financial Reporting Standard 9 issued on financial instruments wil

REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee ended weaker yesterday due to importer dollar demand while late exporter sales of greenback capped the fall, dealers said. The rupee which traded at 155.83 during the day closed at 155.70/75 per dollar, compared with Mon

REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares rose slightly yesterday and posted their highest close in nearly two weeks as investors picked up beverage and telecom stocks, and foreign investors returned to the market following a communal violence last week, dealers sa

Private credit growth may exceed the Central Bank projections of 13.5 percent for 2018 by a significant margin if the agriculture sector recovers this year, according to Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), Sri Lanka’s second largest private lender