ECONOMIC POLICY
Beijing has pledged to open up more economic sectors to foreign investment, an official statement said, as foreign chambers
REGIONAL MARKETS
Most Asian markets fell Friday following a retreat on Wall Street and as oil prices weakened on the last trading day before Christmas
FINANCIAL AID
Sri Lanka has secured US$ 1.34 billion in loans from the World Bank to boost the cash-strapped island’s economy over the next
CURRENCY MARKETS
The euro hit a 20-month low Monday and most Asian stocks retreated as a fresh wave of uncertainty hit markets after Italy’s prime minister resigned following a heavy referendum defeat.
REGIONAL MARKETS
Asian stocks turned negative Friday and oil prices retreated along with the dollar as investors took a step back from a recent rally, while caution
ENERGY POLICY
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has introduced a proposal that would exempt electricity consumers who
HUMAN RIGHTS
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has asked Donald Trump to pressure the UN Human Rights Council to drop war crimes allegations
REGIONAL MARKETS
Asian markets headed into the weekend on a positive note Friday, with Tokyo again being propelled by the weaker yen as the
FISCAL POLICY
Sri Lanka’s economy has begun to stabilise after securing a US$ 1.5 billion bailout earlier this year, but the island needs to
INTERNAL TRADE
The Sri Lankan Government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese consortium by January
GOVERNMENT FINANCE
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake assured that Budget 2017 is a development-oriented budget
TRADE AGREEMENT
Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would become the ultimate free trade champion as she laid the groundwork
REGIONAL MARKETS
A sharp fall in Tokyo led losses in most major Asian stock markets Friday, as traders fret over next week’s US election
TRADE RELATIONS
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted leaders of the BRICS emerging powers on Sunday at a summit seeking to strengthen trade ties and help overcome the bloc’s economic woes
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Sri Lanka said Wednesday it will lift a bar on women reaching the top ranks of the police, as part of wide-ranging reforms to the ailing force
REGIONAL MARKETS
Asian markets rallied Monday, with financials up on easing fears about the future of German giant Deutsche Bank, after a source said it was nearing a deal to slash a multi-billion-dollar US fine
WIND POWER AFFECTS BIRDS
Although wind power is an ideal alternative energy option for Sri Lanka, the location of a proposed wind farm is said to negatively impact the migrant bird population arriving in the island
TAXES ON CIGARETTES HIKED
The Cabinet recently decided to impose a 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on cigarettes, increase the current production tax to Rs. 5, and increase the cess on beedi leaf imports from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000, to curb smoking in the country
SHORTFALL IN TEA PRODUCTION
With Sri Lankan tea production in August falling by 13 percent compared to last year, from 3.4 million kilogrammes (kg) to 23 million kg, the country is predicted to head for a significant shortfall in tea production by the end of the year
COMPUTER LITERACY RISES
Computer literacy in Sri Lanka has increased from 16.1 percent in 2006/07 to 27.1 percent in 2015, according to a national survey conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics
