HONG KONG (AFP) - Asian markets mostly rose yesterday as trade hopes were given a boost by Donald Trump’s economic aide saying “enormous progress” had been made in talks with China, easing recent concerns that they were stumbling. Hong Kong enj

Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI) has approved US$ 36.4 billion worth foreign direct investment (FDI) projects so far this year including a US$ 24 billion oil refinery and petrochemical complex in H

Diversified conglomerate, Aitken Spence PLC, had a subdued September quarter (2Q20) amid the group’s leisure operations feeling the brunt of the Easter Sunday attacks in April, which delivered a crippling blow to

Sri Lankan Finance and Leasing Companies’ (FLCs) credit profiles are likely to remain under pressure amid rising non-performing loans (NPLs), weakening profitability and erosion of capital buffers, Fitch

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Kishu Gomes said yesterday that he submitted his resignation to Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga effective from today to allow the newly elected president to appoint a new Chairman follo

REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares ended weaker yesterday, edging lower from their near one-week high hit in the previous session, as investors sold healthcare and telecommunication shares ahead of Saturday’s presidential vote. Campaigning for the polls en

The government has reached a decision to increase overflying charges after almost four decades expecting 57 percent increase in revenue.

People’s Bank recently instituted action against MTD Walkers and its parent company MTD Capital Bhd of Malaysia before the Commercial High Court in the background where a corporate disclosure had been made by MTD Walkers to the Colombo Stock Exchan

The Department of Labour plans to introduce a minimum retirement age for Sri Lanka’s private sector employees after the presidential elections.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) yesterday signed a US$150 million tranche two loan agreement for the Second Integrated Road Investment Programme to continue ADB’s assistance to upgrade the country’s rural r

National Development Bank PLC (NDB) stood tall among its peers during the three months ended September 30, 2019 (3Q19) as the lender enjoyed more room for its loan book expansion with regulatory changes that ended up in its favour.

Sri Lankan shares ended firmer on Wednesday at near one-week highs, as investors picked up beverage and diversified shares ahead of Saturday’s presidential vote.

Kantar Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd yesterday said contrary to some social media posts, it has not made any prediction on the upcoming presidential election.

Cabinet approval has been secured to grant one-year moratorium on loans taken by the country’s crisis-hit tea factory owners and to allocate Rs.500 million to facilitate working capital loans at concessionary rates.

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Palladium Group SL (Pvt.) Ltd to bolster its research capabilities.

While the topic of tobacco control is mentioned in some of the main presidential candidates’ manifestos, it is uncertain whether they will honour the commitment made in 2017 to ban tobacco cultivation by the end of 2020.

Some days ago, at some gathering in Matale, President Maithripala Sirisena has raised concerns to assertions of Sajith Premadasa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa promising free fertilizers to farmers.

Nobody comes to work jazzed about chasing after data. They simply want answers to their questions.

China’s Hainan Rubber Industry Group Co. Ltd has reached an agreement with the Plantation Industries Ministry to invest US$ 300 million to set up specialised free trade zones for rubber-based value-added exports in Kegalle and Kalutara districts ne

The Central Bank yesterday said the forensic audits on bond issues and primary and secondary transaction of Employees’ Provident Fund up to 2017 would not be made public on the advice of the Attorney General, as such would be treated as evidence in

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has recognised Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI) for its excellence in promoting sustainable investment in special economic zones.

Sunshine Energy (Pvt) Ltd. (SEL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Sri Lanka’s diversified conglomerate Sunshine Holdings PLC, opened its third hydropower plant in recently in Lindula in the Nuwara Eliya district.

The sales at Sri Lanka’s monopoly cigarette player, Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) fell during the September quarter (3Q19) due to Excise-led price increases and Easter Sunday bombings in April, which slowed consumer spending and tourist arrivals

Nestlé Lanka PLC saw its earnings falling 4.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs.900.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 (3Q19) as the local unit of the world’s largest food company saw its top line getting impacted by higher cost of

As Sri Lanka heads to elect a government led by a new president, the main political parties have come up with economic agendas to outdo each other, in addition to promising to do a better job than the current political regime. Developing entrepreneur

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is changing today’s world. Globally, 64 percent of all migrant travellers have migrated for employment. However, traditional models of employment are increasingly replaced by new developments associated with t

The race has begun. Both contenders are running neck-and-neck. If there is a photo finish, it might complicate matters. Whoever wins, would face an arduous task of managing the national debt.

(Hong Kong) AFP: Asian and European markets fell yesterday at the end of a healthy week, with uncertainty surrounding the China-US trade talks following China’s announcement of a plan with Washington to roll back tariffs.

REUTERS: Foreign investors stepped up buying in Asian equities in October as risk sentiment improved on signs that China and the United States were closer to an interim trade deal, soothing concerns about a slowdown in the region.