The country’s forex market encompassing highly dependent importers and key source exporters was yesterday rocked by what analysts described as the sharpest day gain in the US dollar exchange rate. Before mid-day the Rupee touched a new low of Rs. 127 and then on to Rs. 128 prompting many to assume the rate had bottomed ...

Instead of 'Employees', one could call it the ‘Empathetic’ Provident Fund (EPF) considering its unprecedented move of sharing the mega sale of 8.4% stake or 71 million shares in premier blue chip JKH for Rs. 13.77 billion (Rs. 194 per share) on Friday to Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad. Whilst the buying broker ...

The entry in to Sri Lanka by Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad via John Keells Holdings (JKH) is being hailed as a all round boost for the country, the Colombo stock market as well as the premier blue chip. JKH which has many first to its credit is also the first stock on ...

SLIC books hefty Rs. 4 b capital gain as an eager Harry secures large block; Ups control to 40.8%; Melstacorp to revise Spence mandatory offer price to Rs. 115 per share from Rs. 113 Business tycoon Harry Jayawardena-linked Melstacorp Ltd. yesterday acquired a strategic block of an 11% stake in Aitken Spence Plc for Rs. ...

Benito Mussolini, the fascist ruler of Italy, during World War II, said that his brand of fascism ‘should be more appropriately called Corporatism, because it is a merger of state and corporate power’. Compare this with the dictionary definition of capitalism: ‘A system in which a country’s business and industry are controlled and run for ...

The Colombo Bourse last week saw a net foreign inflow of Rs. 1.2 billion, with Aitken Spence Plc drawing the most buying, whilst brokers expect the non-national interest to grow further. Spence saw net foreign shareholding increase by 4.8 million shares or 1% last week, whilst overall nearly five million of its shares traded for ...

Contrary to exaggerated claims the EPF investments in to the stock market last week had amounted to only less than 10% of market activity and unlike some past contentious buys, this time around it had focused on blue chips. The total turnover of the Colombo bourse last week was Rs. 8.6 billion and local purchases ...

ASI gains by 5% as Bourse’s value swells by Rs. 96 b Brokers positive after fresh meeting with SEC EPF, private institutional and high networth investors active on attractive valuations The Colombo stock market yesterday produced a major rebound gaining by 5% thanks what some described as “spirited support” whilst others emphasised it was largely due ...

The Sri Lankan economy is dragged out – the country is over-borrowing, underperforming and leading into a debt crunch, claims United National Party Colombo District Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake. Karunanayake accuses the Rajapaksa administration of damaging the country’s social fabric, which he says is Sri Lanka’s biggest asset. Following are excerpts of an interview: Q: What...

To focus on skills development, trade, investment, sustainable development and business excellence to sustain GDP growth rate of 8%Following is the address delivered by National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka President Asoka Hettigoda at the NCCSL’s 53rd Annual General Meeting Ayubowan, good evening. Let me extend a warm welcome to all of you to ...

EFC says if the Govt. is serious about fund returns to employees, it should be exempted; urges holistic look at pension funds and calls for better governance  By Uditha Jayasinghe As opposition political parties ready to do battle over the proposed amendments to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) that will be presented in Parliament today, ...

THE proposed amendments to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) have created a much-needed discussion forum on pension funds and their benefits, while also bringing several crucial points into the limelight. Experts have pointed out that if the Government is genuinely keen on maximising returns of workers, then they need to exempt EPF earnings from tax ...

If the Governor of Central Bank has an urge to enter politics, he should come to Parliament without playing politics inside the CB, charges United National Party Parliamentarian and well-known Economist Dr. Harsha de Silva. Dr. de Silva notes that Governor Nivard Cabraal should respect the sanctity of the Central Bank and therefore if Cabraal ...

GOOD governance is a utopian ideal for most Sri Lankans, but when that extends to respected institutions such as the Central Bank and allows the possibility of misuse of the hard-earned money of millions of people in this country, it is time to do something about it. Under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the Central ...

Dinesh tipped to be appointed Chairman; Dheerasinghe as Deputy; business leader Preethi new face on the Board Commercial Bank is slated to have a special Board meeting today, the second in three days, to elect a new Chairman. The move follows the resignation of longstanding Chairman and Board member Mahendra Amarasuriya, as exclusively reported by ...

Senior business leader and longstanding Board member Mahendra Amarasuriya yesterday resigned as Chairman of Commercial Bank Plc a move which is likely to evoke mixed reactions in banking and corporate circles. Amarasuriya, a highly respected corporate figure, announced his resignation during a Board meeting of Commercial Bank yesterday, throwing open the mantle of leadership at ...

The Pathfinder Foundation issued the following response to the IFC opinion piece on its Economic Alert No. 20 titled ‘Improving Sri Lanka’s Business Climate,’ published in the Daily FT: The Pathfinder Foun-dation (PF) is grateful to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – World Bank (WB) office in Colombo for the substantive comments that it published ...

With reference to Pathfinder Foundation article titled ‘Improving Sri Lanka’s Business Climate’ published on 21 December, the International Finance Corporation (IFC)Country Manager – Sri Lanka and Maldives Adam Sack has sent the following response: I write with reference to the article above in yesterday’s Daily FT by the Pathfinder Foundation – in which there a...

The Pathfinder Foundation with the assistance of Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) and USAID, recently commissioned a study to identify the policy and regulatory reforms that are required to make Sri Lanka a leading country in investor friendliness. Improving the business climate is not an end in itself. A better business environment is a ...

From early in-house management training to training in world class management schools that professionals, business leaders, academics and civil society leaders have undergone, they have learnt of the key management principle of engaging in quiet reflection, reality checks, risk mitigation assessments and the need to plan lessons learnt response action. These practices are considered essential ...

By Ian The President in his speech at the opening of the Southern Expressway said that this could be the beginning of building a modern society. He also mentioned that had there been such an expressway linking the north with the south the extremists would not have succeeded in capitalising on the mistrust among communities. ...

By Devin Jayasundera HDFC, Sri Lanka’s only bank which specialises in Housing finance industry launched its newest product HDFC Housing Fund that provides affordable and accessible financial services for housing purposes at a media briefing yesterday. HDFC Bank officials believe that these kinds of innovative schemes will strengthen the housing sector in Sri Lanka. The ...

The UNP yesterday criticised the Board of Investment (BOI) for misleading investors by changing its web site's previous assurance that foreign investments will not be nationalised. An apparent development following the passing of Takeover Bill in parliament on Wednesday, in the BOI web site's section listing Supportive Government Policies, the new version only states "Safety ...

Govt. outlines plan to move into top 30 Doing Business Ranking by 2014 By Cheranka Mendis The Government yesterday outlined the roadmap to up Sri Lanka’s ranking to number 30 in the Doing Business Ranking by 2014 from the current position of 89. The plan highlights the need to reform operations in key institutions with ...

Marque fund manager and investor Asanga Seneviratne structures deal; Galadari Brothers part sell stake as part of settlement of cases in UAEThe buying of a 16% stake in Galadari Hotel (Lanka) Plc by the Dubai Government for Rs. 1.18 billion yesterday is expected to throw open the city five star as an attractive investment in ...

Dr. Lalith P. Chandradasa, a doctor of medicine and a brother-in-law of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the pioneering development finance institution DFCC Bank. The appointment as an Independent Director had been approved by the DFCC Bank Board following the go ahead by the Director of Bank Supervision, ...

By Cheranka Mendis Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal yesterday declared that the country’s biggest fund, the EPF, was well managed and not corrupted, in remarks that signalled an apparent dismissal of allegations levelled by the main opposition UNP. Sri Lanka’s largest fund, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will hold a balance that exceeds Rs. 1,000 ...

aUNP MP and the party’s Economic Spokesman Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday renewed his warning over the fate of EPF’s questionable investments in the stock market. In a statement, he urged that EPF must follow its own investment guidelines and code of professional conduct or else members would soon begin to suffer. Here is the ...

Corporate institutions can now make Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) payments in a convenient manner via ‘Paymaster,’ the innovative electronic total payment solution of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon, the Bank rated internationally as Sri Lanka’s best. The formal agreement enabling EPF payments to be made via Paymaster was signed recently by Rupa Dheerasinghe, the Superinten...

Business leader Dhammika Perera sells 51% personal stake in Amaya Leisure to Hayleys Group for Rs. 2.6 b and buys 9% more of the latter for same amount Deputy Chairman’s control in Hayleys tops 40%; Hayleys Group firms pay Rs. 107 per Amaya share after getting independent report valuing share at Rs. 160; to announce ...