Jun 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) says that the private sector pension fund, the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) has lost over Rs. 12 billion in its investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange.

Jun 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has appointed a committee to study and make proposals on the private sector retirement fund, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), monies that have been lost due to bad investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

May 29, Colombo: A private sector trade union in Sri Lanka is to lodge a complaint today with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption calling for an inquiry into the investing of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) monies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF). Ceylon Grain Elevators PLC, Laugfs Gas PLC ...

The bourse breathed a sigh of relief at Friday’s trading on the knowledge that sanctions, at least in the immediate future will not be imposed on the island despite Thursday’s Human Rights (HR) resolution against Sri Lanka at Geneva which resulted in it returning a higher Rs. 926.9 million turnover on Friday compared to low ...

Avurudhu Rupee Commitments Bear on Exporters The exchange rate (ER) held at the Rs. 130 levels to the US dollar ($) at Wednesday’s, Thursday’s and Friday’s trading as exporters began encashing their $ proceeds to meet their local commitments, a market source told this reporter. “In the event they persisted in holding on to their ...

The Employees Provident Fund gets a profit of 800 million rupees.   The Employees Provident Fund which possessed 71 million shares of conglomerate John Keells Holdings had been sold at 194 rupees per share, bringing a capital gain to the Fund. These shares have been purchased by Malaysia’s Khazana Nasional Berhard, a sovereign wealth Fund. ...

‘A ruler with a depleted treasury eats into the very vitality of the citizens and the country. A ruler, who impoverishes his own people or angers them by unjust exactions will also lose their loyalty Impoverishment, greed and dissatisfaction are engendered among the subjects, when the ruler among other things (i) fails to give what ought ...

Last week there were more stories making the rounds on contemplated decisions made outside the cabinet meeting than decisions made inside. Of course, the usual briefing on cabinet decisions were spelled out, Thursday afternoon. For a regime that still wants to boast it has popular support, comparing itself to an opposition fractured and quarrelling red and green, it is ...

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka’s Housing Development Finance Corporation Bank’s National Long-Term rating at ‘BBB+(lka)’. The “Outlook” Fitch says is Stable. At the same time, the agency has affirmed the bank’s outstanding senior unsecured redeemable debentures at ‘BBB+(lka)’. The ratings reflect HDFC’s demonstrated ability to contain interest rate risk b...

Market’s illiquid state compounded by seasonal demand for money, coupled with the lack of confidence in the establishment that is also driving demand for US dollars ($s) and rates as well, forced Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to hold a reverse repo auction on Friday (December 16) to tide over the situation Overnight (O/n) ...

‘O cursed lust of gold\, to what canst thou not compel the heart of man!’ - Virgil Aenid (greed) This column dedicated to the notion of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia turns its spotlight today on the dreadful suffering of Sri Lankans due to the fraudulent activities of persons masquerading as great philanthropists thereby building public ...

Professionals stressed the importance of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country to usher in much needed development and also to help in foreign debt servicing and to take away pressure on interest rates. Former Central Bank of Sri Lanka Director Statistics Dr. (Mrs.) Anila Dias Bandaranaike speaking at a CIMA sponsored budget seminar ...

By: R. M. B. Senanayake The stock market swings 50-100 points each way while the general trend is downwards. Many retail investors have lost money and are now fighting shy of investing in the market. In any case they were more speculators rather than investors. They were led up the garden path by high net worth ...

By: R. M. B. Senanayake The EPF has defended their investments in the stock market. But it has missed the point of the criticism leveled by the public.  No one is opposing the EPF investing in the stock market. But the EPF should not gamble with the workers money for they are trustees

The Employees Provident Fund has defended its recent investment moves where it purchased shares of various listed firms through the Colombo Stock Exchange and also made investments in some unlisted firms. EPF says these investments are essential in an era where interest rates are likely to decline

Oct 30, Colombo: Labor Minister of Sri Lanka Gamini Lokuge says there is no problem in Employees Provident Fund (EPF) monies being invested in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

Commonwealth Games’ Bid The ethics of Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL’s) decision to request public banks to make a contribution to strengthen GoSL’s bid to hold the Commonwealth Games in Hambantota in 2018 are being questioned by certain quarters. One banker told this reporter that as banks are custodians of depositors’ funds, it’s not right ...

Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral has said that they had no intention of vesting the Employees Provident in another party. He was speaking at the relocation of the EPF Department at a new venue. The Employees Provident Fund Department has been relocated in the Lloyds Building at Sir Baron

More To Exit following UN Report The stock market continued to lose its momentum as predicted in the lead story on these pages in its last week’s edition, compounded by foreigners fleeing the market, made worse by the UN’s negative war report on the island. “There is panic selling by foreigners in the backdrop of ...

Banks’ Profits Up 111% The banking industry achieved a considerably high level of profits in 2010. Profit after tax amounted to Rs. 57.5 billion last year, a 111% growth in comparison to a Rs. 27.2 billion profit in 2009. The significant growth in profitability was mainly attributed to a higher increase in fee-based income, a ...

No Investments With the market throwing up an excess liquidity of more than Rs. 120 billion day, day in day out, and signs being that investments have not picked up, are all favourable indicators for the prevalence of a low interest regime in the economy, a market source told this reporter. The market has no ...

Excess Liquidity, Small Forex Market Excess liquidity coupled with low volumes of foreign exchange traded have been continuing to bug markets here, which a source attributed as being are reflection of the low levels of economic activity taking place in the country. Despite a spike last Friday, the foreign exchange (forex) market has been averaging ...

The “drag down” of the bourse which began a couple of weeks ago will continue till the year end because of the holiday season that would lead to a further contraction in demand as a result. The “light at the end of the tunnel” may once more be seen if foreigners re-enter the market, a ...

President Rajapaksa as Minister of Finance presented the first budget in his second term as the Executive President, making proposals giving a major impetus to value addition of local industrial products, to improve export earnings while granting a wide range of concessions, increasing outsourcing facilities in Sri Lanka for foreign business enterprises. Thus the President, ...

Government institutions such as the State administered EPF are believed to have had entered the market on Thursday by buying into blue chips across the board, thereby helping to push up the All Share Price Index (ASPI) by 92.58 points (1.43%) to 6,565 and the more sensitive Milanka Price Index (MPI

By Chamitha Kuruppu Reputed Economist and UNP Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, while talking about the crony capitalism in the country, warns that the situation is only going to get worse within the new set up, where economic...

The bourse, affected by the 10% price ceiling on daily trading, and with no foreign investments in sight, saw the benchmark ASPI and the more sensitive MPI picking up by five and 13 points respectively on Friday’s trading (over that of Thursday’s close), according to provisional results. Turnover was Rs. 2.5 billion led by Aitken ...