Business

Port City Colombo Onboards 100+ Companies as Authorised Persons, Boosting Sri Lanka’s FDI Prospects

Port City Colombo has reached a key milestone, successfully onboarding over 100 companies as Authorised Persons (APs) by 24 August 2024. These companies span a wide array of sectors, including IT, finance, logistics, shipping, healthcare, tourism, real estate development, and global capability centres. This development positions Port City Colombo as a crucial player in attracting

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Bond Yields

Sri Lankan Rupee Opens Slightly Weaker, Bond Yields Edge Up

Sri Lanka’s rupee opened slightly weaker on Wednesday, trading at 300.30/80 against the US dollar, compared to 300.00/30 the previous day, according to market dealers. Meanwhile, bond yields saw a marginal increase. The bond market remained quiet, with active quotes yet to commence. A bond maturing on 1st July 2028 was quoted at 12.60/70%, up

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Economics

Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery to Slow in 2H 2024; Projected Growth at 3.2%

Sri Lanka’s economic growth is anticipated to slow down in the second half of 2024, with a projected overall growth of 3.2%, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The research arm of Bloomberg attributes the slowdown to tight fiscal policies and weak consumer sentiment, which are expected to limit the pace of recovery. Despite these challenges, Sri

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Bond Yields

Sri Lankan Rupee Opens Weaker at 299.75/300.50 Against the US Dollar; Bond Yields and Stocks Edge Down

Sri Lanka’s rupee opened weaker on Monday, trading at 299.75/300.50 against the US dollar, according to currency dealers. This follows the rupee’s close at 299.70/300.00 against the greenback on Friday. In the bond market, yields dipped, with a bond maturing on 01.07.2028 quoted at 12.45/55 percent, down from 12.45/60 percent. Meanwhile, a bond maturing on

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Finance

Sri Lanka’s Loan Demand Rises in Q2 2024 Amid Lower Interest Rates and Exchange Rate Stability

Sri Lanka experienced a significant increase in loan demand across the retail, corporate, and small and medium enterprise (SME) sectors during the second quarter of 2024, according to a recent survey by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This uptick is attributed to lower interest rates and stable exchange rates, reflecting improved economic confidence and

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Economics

Sri Lanka’s Budget Deficit Plummets by 52% in First Half of 2024 as Tax Revenues Surge

Sri Lanka’s budget deficit saw a significant reduction of 52% in the first half of 2024, dropping to 515.7 billion rupees. During the same period, government revenues surged by 42% to 1,860.6 billion rupees, driven largely by a 43% increase in tax revenues, totaling 1,709.3 billion rupees, according to interim budget data. The budget’s current

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Business

Sri Lanka’s Tea Exports Drop 6.2% in July 2024, But FOB Value Rises

Sri Lanka’s tea exports in July 2024 totaled 21.35 million kilogrammes, marking a 6.2% year-on-year decline. While bulk and packeted tea exports showed negative variances, tea bags recorded a marginal gain compared to July 2023. The FOB value for July 2024 increased to Rs.1,773.70, up Rs.158.39 from the previous year. From January to July 2024,

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Economics

Sri Lanka Expected to Breach Inflation Target Until Q1 2025: Central Bank

Sri Lanka’s inflation is projected to remain below 3 percent through the first quarter of 2025, according to the Central Bank. This marks a breach of the lower threshold of the country’s 5 percent inflation target, which has been consistently maintained over the past several months. The Central Bank has proposed a 5 percent inflation

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Bond Yields

Sri Lankan Rupee Strengthens, Bond Yields Decline Marginally

On Thursday, Sri Lanka’s rupee closed stronger at 298.95/299.05 against the US dollar, improving from the previous day’s 299.15/25, according to dealers. Concurrently, bond yields experienced a slight decline. A bond maturing on December 15, 2026, closed at 11.05/20 percent, down from 11.05/30 percent. A bond maturing on December 15, 2027, closed at 12.05/20 percent,

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