CAIRO (Reuters): Egypt has formally requested a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, a spokesman for its president said on Wednesday during a visit to Cairo by IMF chief Christine Lagarde to discuss support for the country’s ailing economy. Egypt’s finance minister

Expresses confidence on working with Sri Lanka to meet rising needs in ship building and repairing By Harsha Udayakantha Peiris The President of the Republic of Seychelles James Alix Michel, currently on visit in Sri Lanka, made a special courtesy call at Colombo Dockyard PLC yesterday. The President was accompanied by Minister of Fisheries and ...

With the generous support of the American people through the US Agency for International Development, Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) is implementing the US $24 million VEGA/BIZ+ program in Sri Lanka. The program’s main focus is on expanding livelihood opportunities that can enhance economic productivity, boosting household incomes in former conflict areas and promoting ...

Good governance activist and former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne has submitted several key proposals for consideration in the 2013 Budget by President and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Here is the text of his letter containing the proposals sent to President Rajapaksa: 20th August 2012 H. E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, The President ...

It’s a question that has flitted through the minds of many an employer. The man sitting opposite the recruiting table had been an entrepreneur, a-would be businessman who had tried his hand at a venture. The venture had not succeeded. Why? Was it because the man was a poor performer? As thinking is a complex ...

A high-level 15-member delegation from the Republic of Seychelles arrived in Colombo yesterday on a three-day visit. Led by President of Seychelles James Alix Michel, the delegation will comprise, among others, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Paul Adam, Minister of Natural Resources and Industry Peter Sinon, Delhi-based High Commissioner of Seychelles to Sri Lanka Waven ...

By Shanuka Tissera A year to date, since the last annual general meeting of The Planters’ Association of Ceylon, there have been some turbulent changes in the tea, rubber and coconut industries due to the crisis in the Middle-East and EU. The 158th AGM of The Planters’ Association of Ceylon took place on 17 August ...

Last week I had the opportunity of meeting Hermawan Kartajaya, one of the top 50 gurus who has shaped the world of marketing. His perspective to the changing landscape of marketing and what business must do sure opened my mind set to a new way of thinking business and Sri Lanka’s policy decision making. Hermawan ...

Reuters: Asian shares inched lower on Monday, taking a break after investor risk appetite had risen on hopes that Europe’s policymakers will take decisive steps to tackle the euro zone’s debt crisis in coming weeks. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2 per cent, pulled lower by Chinese shares. The index ...

Reuters: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Sunday the end of the economic crisis in his country was in sight and that the euro zone must not let the single currency become a source of friction between the north and south in the bloc. Speaking at a conference in Rimini, he said the euro ...

Nearly 50 stocks had gained by over 10% in the past month Three solid stocks gives over 23% year-to-date return against near 20% dip of the market If the general investing and savings public believes the Colombo Stock Exchange isn’t attractive, then nearly 50 stocks are likely to prove this incorrect, especially given their performance ...

Sri Lanka’s leading travel agents have lauded the introduction of flat bed seats into the business class cabins of SriLankan Airlines’ wide bodied aircraft. During a recent familiarisation trip organised by the Sri Lanka Sales department of the airline, senior representatives from these travel agencies visited the BIA airport and inspected the refurbished aircraft interiors ...

Fitch examines financing alternatives to the current predominant international borrowingsBy Cassandra Mascarenhas Discussing new investment opportunities and financing structures for Sri Lankan private sector entities to enter the current government dominated infrastructure financing in the country, Fitch Ratings Lanka hosted a seminar titled ‘Fitch Perspectives’ last week, featuring F...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday ceremonially inaugurated the Yan Oya Reservoir Project by launching the construction of the main levee of the reservoir across the lower side of the Yan Oya. Speaking at the occasion, the President said the Government is committed to fulfil the aspirations of all the people in the country and has accepted ...

Inflation, hyper inflation and chronic inflation Inflation, as understood by the unsuspecting citizen, is the rising cost of prices over a period of time. This interpretation is far from satisfactory. It is high time people were educated as to the real causes of inflation. Dissecting the inflationary causes would be a difficult task for an ...

WASHINGTON (Reuters): A trend measure of Americans signing up for new jobless benefits fell close to a four-year low last week, but weakness in a regional factory gauge showed US recovery still faces an uphill climb. Other data on Thursday gave mixed signals about the strength of an incipient housing recovery, with groundbreaking on new ...

In the next few years, Sri Lankan economy will reach a Gross Domestic Production (GDP) value of US$100 billion, up sharply from the slow paced economy of about US$ 24 billion GDP in 2004, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

Brand Finance’s Annual Global Nation Brand Analysis Prologue Over the past three years, nation branding has received an enormous amount of coverage in Sri Lankan newspapers. Whilst some of these are based on the need to provide a marketing approach to building a nation, and its brand; many of the articles focus on developing a ...