Inflows recorded a monthly average of USD 507mn during the period Passport issuances ,however, showed some decline compared to 2022 Workers’ remittances have increased notably to USD 482.4 million in September 2023 in comparison to USD 359.3 million in September 2022, according to the quarterly bulletin of Worker Remittances and Labour Migration, Issued by the […]

Sri Lanka earned 205.3 million US dollars from tourism during the month of November 2023, which is over twice the amount in the corresponding month in 2022, the latest data by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) have revealed. The revenue from tourism in November 2022 was 81 million dollars, according to official data.The […]

Migrant workers have remitted 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in the first 11 months of 2023, the latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) shows.The workers remitted 537.3 million dollars in November 2023, up 40 percent from 384.4 million dollars in November 2022, CBSL data showed. Workers sent only 3.3 billion dollars in […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita Sri Lanka has never been this transparent about an agreement it entered with the IMF, State Minister of Finance, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says.Addressing calls for greater transparency in dealings with the IMF, Siyambalapitiya noted on Wednesday that Sri Lanka had engaged with the global lender on 16 previous occasions. The Cabinet of ministers […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita Dissident Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP, Dayasiri Jayasekera, has expressed concern over a potential 50% drop in the revenue of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) due to the entry of foreign companies into the petroleum market. Jayasekera highlighted the adverse impact of the policies of successive governments on the CPC. “The […]

Sri Lanka Under 19s will commence their Under 19 Asia Cup campaign against minnows Japan on Saturday, two days after the team land in Dubai. The Youth team left for Dubai yesterday. The team captained by Royal College batsman Sineth Jayawardena are the favourites alongside Bangladesh to advance to the knockout stage as they face associate […]

by Harim Peiris As we approach the end of 2023 and with about a year to go for the next presidential election due before end 2024, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s frequent refrain and indeed the rationale for his administration is the revival of the national economy after it was spectacularly destroyed by his predecessor’s administration, ironically […]

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) together with the Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE), through licensed commercial banks, commenced popularizing the new ÂManusavi Migrant Worker Loan Scheme from Monday (Dec.04).

Hirun recalled after impressive performance for St. Joseph’s by Reemus Fernando Trinity College spinner Dinuka Tennakoon has found a place in the Sri Lanka Under 19 team for the upcoming Under 19 Asia Cup while St. Joseph’s College opener Hirun Kapurubandara has been recalled after being sidelined for the previous youth assignment. Left-arm spinner Tennakoon […]

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has approved in principle the listing of Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s Rs 6 billion Debenture Issue, opening on December 12th 2023, a Commercial Bank press release said. The release adds: ‘The Bank has announced an initial issue of 60 million Basel III Compliant – Tier 2 Listed Rated Unsecured Subordinated […]

By Hiran H.Senewiratne The investor sentiment at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) was positive throughout yesterday due to the successful conclusion of external creditors’ bilateral agreement with the government on the external debt restructuring exercise, market analysts said. Due to these developments banking sector counters showed a significant improvement anticipating Rating Agencies would upg...

Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Dr Bandula Gunawardena at a press briefing held at the Presidential Media Center today (30) said that the earliest Sri Lanka can recover from bankruptcy is in 2027, at which time it is envisaged that the countries foreign reserves which stand at USD 3.5 billion […]

By Hiran H. Senewiratne The trading activities at the Colombo Stock Exchange witnessed a positive trend yesterday after a negative streak in the past few days, following the much anticipated debt restructuring deal between Sri Lanka and its official creditors. “The Official Creditor Committee (OCC) and Sri Lanka agreed on the main parameters of a […]

SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (28) hit back at critics, claiming that a robust economy had been built under his presidency. He said the UNP-SLFP government which ruled the country during the 2015-2019 period should be held responsible for the current economic crisis. The following is the text of a statement, titled ‘the origins of […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the signing of a loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank to borrow 60 million US dollars to complete the Integrated Road Investment Program (IRIP), cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena told reporters on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, Gunawardena said the IRIP was implemented using loan funds […]

Monday 27th November, 2023 The SJB has commenced collecting signatures for a public petition as part of a campaign to have those who are responsible for the current economic crisis stripped of their civic rights. Given public resentment, which is palpable, the SJB may be able to obtain hundreds of thousands of signatures for its […]