Sri Lanka’s Plantation Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has called for a special stakeholder forum to discuss the present crisis situation faced by the country’s rubber sector originating from lower demand at the international market place.

Asian markets were mixed yesterday, following a Wall Street sell-off, as oil prices hit a nine-month high on concerns about the growing crisis in Iraq but Hong Kong and Shanghai reversed morning losses following upbeat Chinese data.

There’s something about innovation and entrepreneurship that goes hand-in-hand. While inventions on their own are fine, if they are not tied to fulfilling a practical need, the invention is likely to lie idle. In Sri Lanka, we see many inventor

Foreign money seems to be flowing into the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) listed equities with Rs.3.1 billion worth of shares been bought by overseas investors month to-date in June, while the net foreign purchases thus far for the month was Rs. 2.6 bi

The proposed merger between cement majors Holcim and Lafarge is unlikely to have any negative implication on Holcim’s Sri Lankan operations, as the country remains a “strategic market”, a top Holcim official said.

Leading leisure sector operator Aitken Spence PLC said it purchased a brand-new five-star hotel with 143 rooms in Chennai for a consideration of US $ 25 million. The acquisition has been carried out through Aitken Spence Hotel Managements (South Indi

“Plantations are not forests” is a phrase that has been around for many years, but that does not mean that tree plantations are neither good nor bad in them. The benefits or threats of plantations depend on their scale, their objective, t

Some core challenges continue to pose threats to the future viability of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry despite positive changes which have brought new opportunities, head of a leading leisure group said.

The outcome of LokSabha (lower house of the Indian Parliament) elections on May 16th was unexpected and unprecedented over the last three decades.The outcome of LokSabha (lower house of the Indian Parliament) elections on May 16th was unexpected and.

The Middle East investors, particularly in the six Gulf States, are increasingly positive about entering and investing into Sri Lanka, according to MTI’s ‘Market Pulse’.

We saw last week how the two management gurus, Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey interpreted their secret to success of leadership. Through their popular theory called situational leadership, they advise managers that there is no best style of leadership

Aside from having a general understanding of what a company does, you should analyse the characteristics of its industry, such as its growth potential. A mediocre company in a great industry can provide a solid return, while a mediocre company in a p

Aitken Spence PLC, which has interests in hotels, shipping, power and plantations has exited from a proposed thermal power project in Bangladesh with authorities failing to provide suitable land for the plant. However discussions continue in relation

At the launch of the second China- South Asia Expo in Kungmin, China announced its strategy of implementing ‘Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, facilitating scientific and technological co-operation with South Asi

There’s something about success that doesn’t hinge right for some. While achieving success is expected in today’s competitive world, once it is indeed achieved, how do you define it – are you an extension of your success or vi

Recently, at a senior executive forum, a CEO asked me to share my experiences of how companies measure the return on investment of their training and development spend. To begin, training is basically the formal activity that generally occurs in a cl

Until the early 1960s, it was generally accepted that fertilisers were essential for immature rubber, whereas for mature rubber, fertiliser applications were given on an insurance basis. The large variability in yield responses was a major contributi

The Commercial High Court yesterday ordered the winding up of Touchwood Investments PLC, for which purpose a liquidator is to be appointed by July 14, to control the assets of the company and dispose them to pay investor dues.

With the approach of the World Environment Day today (June 5, 2014) much attention is focussed on climate change and its impact on developing countries due to the release of CO2 to the atmosphere with rapid economic development.

“Will the world in 2050 be owned by traders and the super-rich or will it belong to the oil and gas producing countries or Bank of China? questions Thomas Piketty, author of the famous book (2013) ‘Capital in the Twenty-First century&rsqu

The major fertilizer manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka are currently facing an acute shortage of rock phosphate, a key ingredient used in the manufacturing of fertilizers for tea, rubber and coconut, the industry sources said.

Permeated by many turbulent events in May 2014, East Asia served as the milieu for events from the coup d’état in Thailand, to maritime cooperation for the Indonesia-Vietnam boundary between President Susilo and the Prime Minister of Vie

BBC: Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, has good reason to be pleased. The bank has achieved much in recent years. Inflation is coming down and is below 5 percent. Interest rates are lower too. Foreign exchange reser

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is planning to hold Sri Lanka’s second international fund managers forum this October at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel.

Leading dairy products manufacturer Lucky Lanka Milk Processing Company Limited, based in Southern Sri Lanka, is planning to raise approximately Rs.300 million via an initial public offering (IPO) shortly, Mirror Business

The Sri Lankan economy remains on target for 7 percent growth in the short to medium term; however low tax revenue, high public debt and potential climate and external shocks continue to generate down-side risks, according to International Monetary F

When someone thanks you, the courteous and polite reply is, ‘you’re welcome’. If you hold the door open for someone and they say ‘thank you’, respond ‘you’re welcome’. It feels great to hear it and grea

Recently, Bill and Melinda Gates were highlighted in the media for the normal childhood they were said to be keen to give their children. When you are the richest man in the world, it would be prudent to assume that you would indeed want your childre

In a bid to strengthen the balance sheets of the main three state banks—Bank of Ceylon, National Savings Bank and People’s Bank, the government has decided to buy back the investments these banks have made in the ailing national career, S

The total government debt increased to Rs.6793 billion in 2013 from Rs.6000 billion in 2012, according to the 2013 annual report of the Finance and Planning Ministry released yesterday.