‘Immigrants’ is a word more commonly heard in Japan in recent years. One reason for this is the need to respond to the country’s shrinking population. As of October 1, 2016, Japan’s total population was estimated to have dropp

In our lifetime, there used to be a time when a job was for life, one was loyal to one’s life-long job and there were other things important than an increase in salary and quick promotions to the top. But today, in the age of instant promotions

Global financial markets are booming. Central banks in advanced economies are in tacit competition mode to extend their ultra-loose monetary policy as long as they possibly can.

I have been following up on the recent articles published in the newspapers and social media relating to the new budget proposal. The proposal for the liberalization of the shipping agency and freight forwarding industries seems to be one of the most

Global trade is finally recovering, as is Asia’s trade. After underperforming the past two years, Asian trade is back at the forefront of worldwide trade growth momentum. Following sluggish growth rates of 1.7 percent in 2016 and 1.4 percent in

‘Petrol’ has been the talk of the town since early November. The daily lives of the public have been disrupted with the rising traffic congestions and transportation issues. Vehicles have been queuing up at petrol stations fearing a petro

Asia has achieved remarkable growth and prosperity over the past decades. It is not without costs though. Part of the region’s rapid expansion happened at the expense of its environment and scarce natural resources. 

The budget proposals of the unity government under the theme ‘Blue Green Budget’ for the fiscal year 2018 is expected to support the achievement of the medium-term targets such as the per capita income of US $ 5,000, one million new jobs,

In the two days of meetings from 8 November between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Trump’s first state visit, it appears that they did not talk at all about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

This is the 14th of the Mirror Business-Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) interview series, featuring the top executives of the S&P SL20 companies. Here, People’s Leasing & Finance PLC (PLC) CEO Sabry Ibrahim talks about PLC’s performa

AFP: From a stalled Indonesian rail project to an insurgency-threatened economic corridor in Pakistan, China’s push to revive Silk Road trade routes is running into problems that risk tarnishing the economic crown jewel of Xi Jinping’s pr

The green bond market turns 10 years old this year and is rapidly heading towards adulthood. As it comes of age, this market will be an increasingly critical source of capital for the projects that will help the global economy limit the impact of cli

Fears of technology-induced unemployment have penetrated media headlines and policy discourse in both advanced and developing countries.

Last week’s budget contained important proposals around the liberalisation of the shipping sector. The port played a significant role in the development of maritime hubs such as Singapore, helping the country become a first world economy in a g

History is studded with examples of temperance movements and prohibitions, whenever alcohol was perceived as a menace to society. All of them have failed and some have wrought worse chaos in societies. 

Historically, the customs duty on motor vehicle imports has been calculated on the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of the vehicle. In customs terminology, the value for customs duty is assessed on the price ‘paid or payable’ by th

The budget for the year 2018 that was presented to parliament by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera was totally different from the others that we saw during the past few years. 

It would be a suicidal mission for the Central Bank to undertake inflation target-based monetary policy without strictly enforcing budget discipline by the government, as I cautioned in my article appeared in Daily Mirror of October 31, 2017. Althoug

The coalition government’s fourth budget presentation and the first by incumbent Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, was a clear and progressive step to liberalise Sri Lanka’s economy, and provides impetus for growth and sustainability

Slow growth, declining export earnings and FDI inflows, and inadequate foreign exchange reserve cover characterize Sri Lanka’s current macroeconomic climate. The heavy dependency on non-tradables is a key factor slowing the country’s grow

The financial technology (fintech) industry is thriving globally. It is broadly defined as any technological innovation in financial services often resulting in highly innovative, pioneering services. Fintech as a term is a compound of ‘finance

The financial technology (fintech) market in Asia-Pacific is witnessing a rapid boom, as the financial sector shifts to a new age of technology and transparency propelled by innovation and financial inclusion.

All leaders, whatever their ranks, occasionally find themselves in situations that aren’t of their own choosing. A few situations may be pleasant, such as an enjoyable chance meeting with a stranger that leads to a new valued relationship. But

At its recent 18th Annual General Meeting the Tea Exporters’ Association (TEA), renewed its strident demand for liberalization of the tea industry, ostensibly to ‘modernize and end the downfall of the industry’ and seemingly driven

On the 8th of January 2015, the shock electoral defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa by his former ally, Maithripala Sirisena, rescued Sri Lanka from a slide into increasingly nationalist authoritarianism. 

The Government of Sri Lanka continues to take seriously the improvement of the climate for business in the country and is taking concrete steps towards this. The latest edition of the World Bank’s Doing Business Index (DBI) rankings shows a one

Thomson Reuters Foundation: When Siri Hettige, a sociology professor at the Colombo University, conducts surveys of young people across Sri Lanka, he never fails to ask one key question: Does anybody want to become a farmer?

Mirror Business received the following letter from former Tea Exporters’ Association (TEA) Chairman Rohan Fernando in response to the article titled ‘If government needs a backbone, TEA needs a brain’, authored by Sri Lanka Tea Boar

This is the 13th of the Mirror Business-Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) interview series, featuring top executives of the S&P SL20 companies. Here, Access Engineering PLC Managing Director Christopher Joshua talks about Access Group’s performa

Following is an abridged version of the Prof. H.A. de S. Gunasekera Memorial Oration delivered at the University of Peradeniya on October 24, 2017.