Monday, February 29, 2016

Sri Lanka to go to markets after IMF meetings

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka may go to international markets to raise up to 1.5 billion dollars this year after gauging the outcome of meetings with the International Monetary Fund, a central bank official said.

Sri Lanka will hold discussions with the IMF in March and April on a support facility for its balance of payments, and for an endorsement of the government’s plan for fiscal consolidation.

In December, a central bank official said Sri Lanka could raise up to 1.5 billion dollars this year in line with borrowings last year.

Sri Lanka raised 1.5 billion dollars in a 10-year sovereign bond issue in October with a coupon of 6.85 percent for budgetary financing and to increase foreign reserves.

This was Sri Lanka’s ninth US Dollar benchmark as well as the largest offering in the international bond market since 2007.

After ending a war with Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009, the island has increasingly gone to international markets for its borrowing program.

 

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Investrust says its money market fund outperformed in 2015

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Investrust Wealth Management Ltd, a member of Investrust Holdings Ltd, said its money market fund was the best performing for the year ended 2015.

The Investrust Money Fund delivered a net after fee return of 8.60 percent p.a. while outperforming the Money Market Funds available in the market, according to the data compiled by Unit Trust Association of Sri Lanka.

Unit Trust industry in Sri Lanka currently comprises fourteen fund management companies with seventeen Money Market Funds.

“Investrust Money Fund which was launched in June 2014 is a diverse cash strategy consisting of a portfolio of government securities and investment grade and above rated short term corporate debt instruments,” a statement said.

“The fund’s objective is to consistently outperform the benchmark of monthly weighted average 3-Month Treasury bill yield.”

Investrust Holdings Limited (IHL) is a boutique investment banking services company in Sri Lanka. IHL holds a complementary business portfolio of fee based investment banking and wealth management.

Investrust Capital (Pvt) Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Investrust Holdings Ltd, has raised over 69 billion rupees in the form of debt instruments for local corporate entities, the statement said.

 

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Popular international stocks take a beating, say analysts

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Popular stocks are taking a beating this year due to redemptions by sovereign and wealth funds, analysts say.

These companies are victims of their own success as investors sell winners to meet redemptions, according to BNP Paribas Investment Partners.

For instance, Amazon.com Inc. is down 18 percent in 2016 after more than doubling last year, according to a Bloomberg report. Tenet Healthcare Corp. lost 15 percent. The companies have a rating of at least 4 where 5 represents unanimous buy calls from analysts.

Popular stocks are down 11 percent, on average, while the least-favorite stocks are down just 3.4 percent.

Chinese electrical appliances maker Midea, which fell 18 percent this year, is China’s biggest manufacturer of consumer appliances with a 17.1 percent market share in 2015.

Activision Blizzard has lost 18 percent in 2016, even though 18 strategists have reaffirmed they are bullish on the stock. Similarly, Chinese medicine maker Yunnan Baiyao Group Co., which has a buy rating from every analyst Bloomberg tracks, is down 22 percent after reporting record profit.

“This year there’s probably redemption pressure on sovereign funds and mutual funds, so those stocks do face selling pressure,” said Hong Kong-based Caroline Maurer, head of greater China equities at BNP Paribas Investment Partners.

 

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Sri Lanka *market update*, USD/LKR 1wk 144.70/85, Entrust Securities to default board

Entrust Securities has been transferred to the Default Board with effect from today due to Non-Submission of Interim Financial Statements for the period ended 31st December 2015, the CSE said. (Feb 29, 2016 10.40 a.m)

ASPI trading at 6,205.50, down 1.52 points 0.02 percent with gains in John Keells Holdings and Panasia Bank , brokers said. (Feb 29, 2016 10.30 a.m)

USD/LKR one week quoted at 144.70/85, dealers said.  (Feb 29, 2016 10.30 a.m)

 

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Seylan Bank net profit up 24.4 percent for full year

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Seylan Bank reported a reported a record profit after tax of 3,831 million rupees for the year ended 31st December 2015, up 24.4 percent compared with the previous year, the bank said.

Profit before tax increased 24.25 percent to reach 5,777 million rupees for the year. Earnings per share was 11.11 rupees, on a share price of 84 rupees, down 3.9 percent on Monday.

Net interest income increased from 11,165 million rupees to 11,825 million rupees, a 5.9 percent increase for the year, while net Fee and Commission income increased 19.5 percent from 2,257 million rupees to 2,697 million rupees showing “a consolidation of the solid growth achieved by Seylan Bank over the past few years,” a statement said.

Other operating income comprising net gains from trading, gains on financial instruments, foreign exchange and other income decreased by 42.2 percent to 1,624 million rupees in 2015. This was mainly due to lower contributions from capital gains on government securities due to the upward movement in interest rates.

During the year under review the Bank focused considerably on cost containment, it said. “This was evident by the containment of growth in expenses of 6.36 percent from 8,109 million in 2014 to Rs.8,625 million in 2015.”

The slow credit growth in the first half of the year, was reversed in the latter half with growth momentum picking up in the third and fourth quarters of 2015 and the bank reported a net credit growth of 24.61 percent, with net advances growing from 154,963 million rupees in 2014 to 193,104 million rupees in 2015.

During 2015, the Bank grew its deposit base by 20.76 percent to 224,525 million rupees. The Bank’s low cost deposit base comprising current & savings accounts (CASA) stood at 36 percent of the total deposit base as at end December 2015, it said.

The Bank was able to improve its asset quality with a reduction in its Gross NPA (net of IIS) from 7.69 percent in December 2014 to 4.68 percent as at end December 2015. “The Bank has consistently been able to improve its asset quality since 2009 through focused, sustained and effective recovery efforts,” it said.

The Bank also continued its CSR initiatives focusing on education and accelerated its 100 libraries project for underprivileged schools. 29 more school libraries were opened by the Bank during 2015 taking the overall number of libraries opened under the project to 80.

“The Branch refurbishment and relocation too continued in full stream during 2015, with a view to enhance the customer’s service experience. 85 percent of the branch network has been refurbishment over the last 4 years. The Bank opened 2 new branches in Pilimathalawa & Peradeniya during the year. As at 31st December 2015, the Bank network comprised of 159 Branches, 182 ATMs and 95 Student Saving Centres.”

The Bank’s total Capital Adequacy ratio stands at 12.87 percent, of which the Tier – 1 ratio stands at 12.24 percent at the end of 2015, both well above the regulatory requirements, it said. In July 2015, Fitch affirmed the Bank’s rating at ‘A-lka’ with a ‘stable’ outlook.

As a result of performance, Return (profit before tax) on Assets and Return on Equity stood at to 2.16 percent and 15.62 percent respectively. The Bank’s Net Asset Value per share as at 31st December 2015 was 72.63 rupees (Group 76.21 rupees).

 

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Potential IMF funding helps Sri Lanka fiscal consolidation: MOODY'S

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Over the next three years, potential financing from the IMF can lead to an agreement to implement fiscal consolidation, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report.
The statement said although this will lower Sri Lanka’s high fiscal deficits and debt, it will likely require a widening of the small tax base and revisiting the government’s expenditure commitments.
Sri Lanka is at the higher end of external vulnerability of B-1 rated peers, such as Jordan, Kenya and Vietnam,  forecasted for 2016, according to Moody’s in its report.
“Moreover, such an agreement will likely restore investor confidence in Sri Lanka’s policy framework, and ultimately support more stable external inflows,” Moody’s said.
An agreement with the IMF and financing from the ADB will provide some liquidity and thereby ease immediate financing pressures.
“At the same time, the financing will likely be at more favorable terms than market borrowing, alleviating debt servicing cost pressures to some extent,” Moody’s said.
Last Tuesday, Sri Lanka gained more than 2 billion US dollars in infrastructure and education financing from the Asian Development Bank.
The ADB’s commitment followed Sri Lanka’s public request for support from the IMF by just weeks.
“The sovereign’s recourse to multilateral financing underscores its large external financing needs and the limited scope for market financing to meets those needs, revealing Sri Lanka’s credit-negative vulnerability to external event risk.”

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Sri-Lanka’s-Credit-Negative-External-Pressures-Drive-Requests-for-Multilateral-Financing.pdf"
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Colombo inflation accelerates 2.7-pct in February

Feb 29, 2016 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo has accelerated 2.7 percent in February 2016 from a year earlier, up from 0.9 percent in January 2016 with the inflation index dropping 0.6 percent in the month, the state statistics office said.

As per the statistics office, this increase was mainly due to elimination of effect of price reduction of few essential food items, L. P. Gas, Kerosene Oil, Petrol, Diesel and Bus Fare implemented by the Government in February 2015.

Year on year inflation of Food Group has increased from -0.2 percent in January 2016 to 0.8 percent in February 2016 while Non-food Group increased by 2.0 percent to 4.6 percent during this period.

For the month of February 2016, on year to year basis, contribution to inflation by food commodities was 0.42 percent. Contribution of Non food items was 2.34 percent.

This was mainly due to value change increases in groups of Clothing and Footwear (0.50%), Health (0.80%), Education (0.23%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (0.16%), Furnishing HH Equipments & Routine HH Maintenance (0.29%) and Transport (0.17%).

The CCPI for all items for the month of February 2016 was 183.8 recording a decrease of 1.1 index points or a percentage of -0.56 compared to the month of January 2016 for which the index was 184.9.

 

 

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C T HOLDINGS (CTHR) - CORPORATE DISCLOSURE

http://www.cse.lk/cmt/upload_cse_announcements/9531456718895_.pdf

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REGNIS(LANKA) - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

REGNIS (LANKA) PLC
Company ID: - REG
Date of Announcement: - 29.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 9.00 per share / Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 31.Mar.2016
XD: - 01.Apr.2016
Payment: - 11.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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Friday, February 26, 2016

COPE to obtain Auditor General Report on bond issue

Feb 26, 2016 (LBO) – The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has decided to obtain a report from the Auditor General regarding the controversial bond issue.

JVP Parliamentarian Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that they have also decided to conduct the inquiry through the main committee of the COPE.

“We decided to obtain the observations of the Auditor General and other relevant parties regarding this matter and review the progress after two weeks,” Jayatissa said.

He said the COPE will also examine the report prepared by the sub committee headed by DEW Gunasekara last year. Jayatissa however stated that the review is not limited to the bond issue.

“It’s a review of the past and present activities of the Central Bank which also includes this issue.”

The Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran said the meeting with COPE on Thursday was a routine one. The meeting was on the accounts of the central bank, and the report of the auditor general, he said. “There were no allegations against me.”

The Committee is headed by JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunetti, with Bimal Rathnayake, Nalinda Jayatissa, Lakshman Senevirathne, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ashok Abeysinghe, Mujibar Rahuman, Rauff Hakeem and Ranjan Ramanayake among Parliamentarians on the committee.

 

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Sri Lanka no longer a poor country, discussions with IMF constructive: CB Governor

Feb 26, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is no longer a poor country, and must rely on markets for its funding needs, Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran said. An endorsement of the IMF, in this regard, would be valuable, he added.

“We have had very constructive discussions with the IMF,” Mahendran said.

“The government and Finance Minister gave their frank assessment of the economy and the problems they had inherited. And we are now hammering out a way forward in terms of ensuring the economy grows, inflation is contained, and we pay off some of the large debts accumulated over the last 10 years.”

An IMF official in Washington said earlier this month an agreement on balance of payments support could be worked out in March or early April.

From his perspective, Mahendran said it is important to have an agreement with the IMF on the way forward, more for the endorsement value of the premier institution on the government’s programme.

“We are no longer a poor country. We are no longer eligible for a povery reduction and growth facility like we used to get. Now we are a lower middle income country, and therefore we have to depend on the markets.”

“We are able to raise all our requirements for the government from the local market. We issue bonds in rupees and dollars without having to depend on aid agencies and such like.”

“Now we are trying to get the IMF to agree with us on our policies, so that we can project to wider investors that we are really adopting the best standards in charting an economic course forward,” he added.

Both the government and the IMF is in agreement that fiscal consolidation is a priority. Countries such as Yemen and Georgia have turned around poor revenue collection in a few years, and there was no reason why Sri Lanka cannot do the same, Mahendran said.

 

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Capital gains tax may kill stock market: Ravi Abeysuriya

Feb 26, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government should not impose a capital gains tax on the stock market as the market still runs on low trade volumes, Group CEO of Candor Group, Ravi Abeysuriya said.

Capital gains are profits realized on a sale of a non-inventory asset that was purchased at a cost that was lower than the amount realized on the sale.

The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and property.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently hinted that the government would move away from a subsidy regime to a capital empowerment regime through taxing capital.

Prime Minister pointed out that he would change the tax system which is currently acquire more tax from the ordinary people and charge less from the capitalists.

Wickremesinghe however did not clarify whether this would specifically apply to the stock market.

Abeysuriya said a possible imposition of tax on capital gains of stocks will also include capital losses where people will start to claim these losses wiping out the stock market risk factor.

“There is empirical evidence in countries where capital gains tax was brought into the stock market,” he said.

“In March 2012 one country brought in capital gains tax and the market trading volumes came down by 36.5 percent.”

“So unlike in the US, you can kill the market by bringing in capital gains tax to markets with low trade volumes.”

Abeysuriya suggested that it is better to keep the share transactions levy (STL) rather than imposing a capital gains tax for stock markets.

STL is purely based on the transactions taking place in the stock exchange, revenue generated under this fluctuates in accordance with the volume of the share market dealings.

Sri Lanka however removed this levy for all transactions on equity from 01 January 2016 in line with a budget proposal aimed at encouraging share market trading.

 

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Sri Lanka's megapolis plan a challenge, needs experts to make it successful

Feb 26, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Megapolis development project’s success depends on the establishment of a separate authority to govern the project while social change would also be a key, the president of the Chamber of Construction Industry said.

“The Megapolis Authority with the right expertise is a must if this project is to fly,” Surath Wickramasinghe, President, Chamber of Construction Industry said.

“This is a challenging exercise, especially the financial side of it – it all needs to be generated to make it a success while the proper knowledge and expertise is also needed to get about with the task.”

Wickramasinghe says social change will be a key to making the project a success.

“There is a lot of social change that needs to come through this type of mega development. The people need to embrace the changes that need to be made while the government also needs to ensure the citizens get a better deal than a land scam under the guise of development.”

The megaplolis plan has four fundamental pillars: economic growth and prosperity, social equity and harmony, environmental sustainability and individual happiness.

Its main goal is to create jobs and investments through creating a dynamic regional spatial structure that promotes economic productivity, attracts investments, enhances business opportunities and creates jobs.

The plan will have cities dedicated for aero, marine and technology with 13 other projects which have been earmarked for development.

“So all this is marked, the question is how to implement it,” Wickramasinghe told a forum in Colombo recently.

“I’m not sure if we have the expertise to make it happen.”

However, he said that Sri Lanka is not the first country to do this kind of project and can look at India to learn more.

“We can look at the Indian model; study how they have success of it.”

“We can bring in foreign experts to add to our local expertise like what the Board of Investment is doing.”

The government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision of developing 100 smart cities as satellite towns of larger cities and by modernizing the existing mid-sized cities.

Data shows that as of 2015, there are 35 megacities globally. Tokyo is on top with the highest population touching 38 million with Jakarta, second and Shanghai is the largest city proper. Chennai is the 35th megacity.

The new mega plan envisages transforming the Western Province by 2030 to a Megapolis with an estimated population of 8.4 million, an increase of 3 million.

 

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SEYLAN BANK - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEYLAN BANK PLC
Company ID: - SEYB
Date of Announcement: - 26.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 2.75 per share (Voting & Non-Voting) / First & Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 31.Mar.2016
XD: - 01.Apr.2016
Payment: - 11.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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SINGER (SRI LANKA) - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

SINGER (SRI LANKA) PLC
Company ID: - SINS
Date of Announcement: - 26.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 4.20 per share / Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 31.Mar.2016
XD: - 01.Apr.2016
Payment: - 11.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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NATIONS TRUST - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

NATIONS TRUST BANK PLC
Company ID: - NTB
Date of Announcement: - 26.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 2.10 per share /First & Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 31.Mar.2016
XD: - 01.Apr.2016
Payment: - 11.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Emerging markets offer long-term opportunity: Research Affiliates

Feb 25, 2016 (LBO) – Christopher Brightman, Research Affiliates’ Chief Investment Officer, says the exodus from emerging markets offers wonderful opportunity for opportunistic investors.

Brightman shares market insights for  global investment management firm PIMCO’s All Asset funds. PIMCO has 1.4 trillion dollars in assets under management, and their market insights can be read here.

Q: How do you view the portfolio’s positioning in Emerging Market asset classes, particularly after a challenging 2015?

Brightman: Many investors mistake a bear market for diminished prospective returns. From the rear-view mirror, the bear market in emerging markets has been painful. When we look out of the windshield, however, these very asset classes offer the highest potential returns available to today’s opportunistic investor. So, the exodus from emerging markets is a wonderful opportunity – and quite possibly the trade of a decade – for the long-term investor.

With global stock markets selling off in early 2016 following a challenging 2015, and jittery investors pulling the sell trigger on their risky investments, the fear of emerging markets is pervasive. A number of events – slowing growth in China, an unexpected depreciation of the Renminbi, tumbling commodity prices, Middle East tensions, and recessions in Brazil and Russia – have applied downward pressure on emerging market stock, bond, and currency prices. We are sympathetic to those alarmed by these events and recognize that this understandable fear creates today’s bargain prices. While markets are not efficient, neither are they irrational.

We are increasingly confident of our positioning in emerging market stocks and bonds, which represents an allocation of 35 percent in All Asset and 39 percent in All Asset All Authority, as of December 31, 2015. Offering high yields, favorable demographic trends, strong productivity growth prospects, and a long-term trend of improving credit quality, emerging market asset classes are secularly attractive. Valuations, which are both compelling relative to their individual histories and relative to other market opportunities, makes emerging markets even more attractive today.

Across commonly used valuation metrics, emerging market equities are exceptionally cheap. We tend to look at the Shiller P/E, which divides real prices by the ten-year average of real earnings per share, because it allows the price-to-earnings relationship to be viewed in the context of multiple business cycles.

As of January 31, 2016, emerging market equities are priced at a Shiller P/E multiple of 10x, ranked in the lowest 4th percentile since 1990. We find six times in the last 25 years when the emerging markets’ Shiller P/E multiple dipped below 10x. How did these stocks perform after reaching these bargain-basement multiples? Five years later, emerging market equities delivered an impressive average cumulative return of 188 percent!

These results are not singular to emerging markets. Across all countries, when Shiller P/E multiples get depressed to dirt cheap levels, reversion to normal valuations has followed, leading to strong subsequent returns. We mapped the cumulative five-year return path of 13 developed and emerging countries, returns once each country’s valuation multiple dips below 10x. Once Shiller P/E falls below 10x, the average cumulative five-year return is an impressive 118 percent.

During 2015 we also experienced an extraordinary divergence in performance between growth and value, similar to tech bubble of the late 1990s, as I highlighted in past Insights. EM value stocks underperformed growth stocks by more than 5 percent per annum over the last 3 years ending December 31, 2015, a value premium that sank to the bottom decile of all rolling three-year outcomes since January 1997.

What results transpired after value was thus savaged? EM value stocks outperformed growth stocks by an average of 6.7 percent three years later and 7.3 percent five years later. Of course, this result hardly surprises. It is a manifestation of a core tenet of our investment philosophy: the largest and most persistent active investment opportunity is long-horizon mean reversion.

 

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Sri Lanka *market update* , ASPI down 0.2-pct, USD/LKR 1wk 144.80/90

ASPI trading at 6,205.50,down 12.14 points or 0.20 percent with losses in telecom stocks Sri Lanka Telecom and and Dialog Axaita, brokers said. (Feb 25, 2016 2.05 p.m)

USD/LKR one week quoted at 144.80/90, dealers said.  (Feb 25, 2016 11.50 a.m)

ASPI trading at 6,222.30, higher 4.66 points or 0.07 percent with gains in some finance sector stocks like Commercial Leasing and Peoples Leasing Company, brokers said. (Feb 25, 2016 12.05 p.m)

 

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ETCA can be a wake up call for Sri Lankans: professionals

Feb 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lankan professionals say integration with India through the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) is a must for the islands future development.

“Yes, ETCA is needed. We have labour problem and if Sri Lankans can’t do it and we don’t have the people then we have to bring them from elsewhere,” Reyaz Mihular, Managing Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka said at a recent forum.

“I don’t see the IT sector and marine engineers fighting this. Why is it that only the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) who are making an issue?” he asked.

“If we have Megapolis then we need to have the expertise.”

Mihular says that Sri Lanka has nearly one million three wheeler drivers and this is an unproductive workforce.

“They should look for better skilled jobs.”

“Due to intense competition we find it hard to keep a qualified IT youth in the same job as they are grabbed by other companies.”

Another senior professional said that integration with India will be a key if the island is to move towards developed country status.

“When you look at integration, the ASEAN Region is at 35 percent while South Asia is only at 5.3 percent,” Rohantha Athukorala, Chairman, Lanka Sathosa, Ministry of Trade and Commerce said.

“If we (Sri Lanka) want to ride the wave of the developed countries then we have to come up with a partnership like ETCA. There is no doubt.”

However, he stressed on the point of stakeholder participation and transparency.

“Yes, we need stakeholder participation but we need to take decisions that are good for the country in the long-term. ETCA needs to move on but the document needs to be made public and ensure a degree of transparency.”

Nithya Partners Partner, Neomal Goonewardane said that many of Sri Lanka’s young professionals aspire to go overseas and that this creates a vacuum.

“I think ETCA is necessary – It will be a good wake-up call, as our people need to work harder as if not there will be no future for the younger generation,”

“All professionals between the ages of 30-40 years don’t want to work in Sri Lanka. They want to work overseas in place like Australia, Canada other places.”

He also said that Sri Lanka has to create innovative new jobs for the youth similar to Singapore which has mobile BPO Law Desks for India targeting big law firms.

“This is very successful and is a model that could be adopted in Sri Lanka.”

Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Harsha de Silva, told LBO recently that there is no formal document with regard to ETCA yet and that the government will have consultations with local stakeholders before finalizing a draft.

“Opening up of the services sector will not result in Sri Lanka being flooded by Indian professionals and the agreement will not be going in for Mode 4 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services which allows movement of “natural persons”.”

Entry will be allowed only in IT and ship building, he said.

 

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SEC reconsiders minimum public float rule: CSE

Feb 25, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's securities regulator is reconsidering the minimum public float rule as the intention of introducing such rule was not met, ‎a senior official at the CSE said.

Chief Executive Officer at the Colombo Stock Exchange Rajeeva Bandaranaike said the intention of introducing the minimum holding rule was to encourage the public float.

"The intention was good, but companies really did not choose to divest. Instead some companies choose to demote themselves to Diri Savi board and some others choose to de-list," Bandaranaike said.

Few companies have already de-listed and several others have transferred to the secondary Diri Savi Board following the introduction of new rules.

"The regulator is looking at it right now and there is a strong possibility that they reconsider the rule. Right now most of the companies have been given extension of one year."

Bandaranaike was speaking at the capital market conference 2016 organized by UTO Edu Consult.

The securities watchdog brought in the new rules that are applicable to all public listed entities which have their equity listed on the CSE effective from 01 January 2014.

As per the minimum public holding rules, there are two ways to get listed on the main board of the Colombo Stock Exchange.

One option is that a listed entity on the main board should maintain a minimum public holding of 20 percent of its total listed ordinary voting shares in the hands of a minimum of 750 public shareholders.

Second option is that a market capitalization of 5 billion rupees of its public holding in the hands of a minimum of 500 public shareholders while maintaining a minimum public holding of 10 percent.

To list on the secondary DiriSavi Board, a company should maintain a minimum public holding of 10 percent of its total listed shares in the hands of a minimum of 200 public shareholders.

 

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Chamber welcomes ETCA; urges consultations with private sector

Feb 25, 2016 (LBO) – The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has hailed the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India, but has urged Systematic Consultations with the Private Sector.

The chamber said in a statement that any bilateral or regional agreement that Sri Lanka forges must be supportive of the country’s holistic economic interests rather than cater to individual business interests.

“It must recognise size asymmetry of the economy; and must take a phased approach to liberalisation where domestic regulatory systems need updating.” the statement said.

The full text is reproduced below.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce welcomes ETCA, But Urges Systematic Consultations with the Private Sector

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has consistently supported the expansion of Sri Lanka’s trade interests through signing mutually beneficial and well-designed trade agreements, and this has been clearly articulated in our ‘10 Principles’ on the economy.

The Chamber believes that such agreements are an important tool in deepening trade and investment opportunities for our businesses, within a rules-based framework. The Ceylon Chamber welcomes the Hon. Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament this week explaining the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) stance on the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India.

This statement can help allay misperceptions around the proposed ETCA. The Chamber now urges the authorities involved in the ETCA process to build on this by adopting a systematic consultative and information sharing process with the private sector.

Any bilateral or regional agreement that Sri Lanka forges must be supportive of the country’s holistic economic interests (rather than cater to individual business interests); must recognise size asymmetry of the economy; and must take a phased approach to liberalisation where domestic regulatory systems need updating (for instance, on movement of natural persons in professional services).

Dialogue and Information

An important element in the overall process of forging new agreements is transparent, systematic, and broad-based consultations with the private sector.

The Chamber observed with concern the level of misinformed opposition proliferating in the media regarding the proposed ETCA, which can in part be attributed to the lack of robust information sharing and a systematic consultative process. We extend our support to the government to help more stakeholders in the private sector understand the gains and challenges of such a bilateral agreement.

A dialogue process that is well structured and includes all relevant stakeholders can mitigate the risks of the current ETCA process suffering from the difficulties that the earlier proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) suffered. We call on the government ministries and departments involved in the process to adopt a more systematic approach to private sector consultations, so that we may mobilize evidence-based representations from the private sector.

The Chamber also encourages technical experts from the government (particularly the Department of Commerce) to play a more active role in educating the public, addressing queries/concerns of the private sector, and providing relevant information in a timely manner. While we recognize that the final text of an agreement cannot be made public due to the nature of bilateral trade negotiations, the GoSL can consider publishing a ‘White Paper’ on ‘Expanding trade in services, investment and economic cooperation with India’, which captures the GoSL thinking on the issue, and clarifies the approach to be taken. The Department of Commerce can consider setting up an ‘Inquiry Desk’ either in person or on a dedicated website where questions and clarifications on the ETCA can be directed.

Assessing and Addressing Concerns

Undoubtedly, there are valid concerns of an uneven playing field faced by Sri Lankan business in India. In order to build confidence, the Indian government should move quickly to clear some contentious issues facing Sri Lankan businesses that trade with India. Solving non-tariff barriers (NTBs)/Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) should be given priority. The Chamber understands that the Framework agreement includes a chapter on ‘Early Harvest’ of barriers to trade in goods (including quota issues and NTBs). India must support this. The ETCA negotiation process can accelerate a Mutual Recognition Agreement for standards, and also establish an efficient and effective dispute resolution mechanism to resolve issues faced by business on both sides on a regular basis. This can build further confidence in the bilateral agreement.

Meanwhile, opposition to the ETCA – and indeed further overall liberalization of trade in goods and services – citing ‘national interest concerns’ must be carefully examined alongside the potential gains to consumers and firms in Sri Lanka. The latter too is ultimately a matter of national interest. The Chamber urges GoSL to not entertain protectionism that may come under the guise of national interest concerns. It is important that GoSL looks beyond the narrow commercial interests of the few and instead focus on the broader economic imperatives of exports, investments, and job creation to set a course for the future prosperity of the economy.

Expanding Sri Lanka ‘Openness’

The Chamber also strongly endorses the Prime Minister’s comments in his recent statement that Sri Lanka needs to focus on expanding the markets for our exports and tap in to the growing middle class in emerging economies in Asia and Europe. Over the last decade and a half, the Sri Lankan economy has become more closed and more inward looking than before, resulting in a falling share of global exports and a declining exports-to-GDP ratio. As a small economy with a limited domestic market, trading more with the world and welcoming more business and investment partnerships from abroad is our only path to prosperity. In this, greater openness to trade in services cannot be ignored, owing to its strong and growing link to goods trade and investment. Services liberalization needs to be pursued, within a mutually-beneficial framework and following stakeholder discussions.

Many of our Chamber’s members produce world-class products and services, are winning in competitive market niches abroad, and have high quality management practices, and environmental and labour credentials. Opening up to the world would only sharpen these competencies, and also provide new channels for the best firms to make a stronger mark overseas.

Building Confidence in the Process

In conclusion, the Ceylon Chamber reaffirms our fullest support towards an agreement that widens and deepens our economic engagement with India, while reiterating the need for systematic stakeholder consultations, clear and coherent communications, and firm commitment to tackling issues faced by businesses. While it is governments that sign trade agreements, they ultimately impact – positively and negatively – on consumers and businesses. The trust and confidence of the private sector in new trade agreements the government may forge in the future necessarily depends on how the ongoing ETCA process is handled.

 

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Central Bank Governor and officials before COPE today

Feb 25, 2016 (LBO) – The Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and several top officials will appear before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) today, Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said.

The Committee headed by JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunetti has commenced an inquiry into the Treasury bond auction of the Central Bank that was termed a “scam” which occurred early last year.

“They have been directed to appear before COPE, at 2.30 in the afternoon. This is an inquiry and this is the first time the new COPE officials meet them.” Ramanayake said.

Sunil Handunetti, Bimal Rathnayake, Nalinda Jayatissa, Lakshman Senevirathne, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ashok Abeysinghe, Mujibar Rahuman, Rauff Hakeem and Ranjan Ramanayake are among Parliamentarians on the committee.

 

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COMMERCIAL BANK OF CEYLON - SCRIP DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

COMMERCIAL BANK OF CEYLON PLC
Company ID: - COMB

SCRIP DIVIDEND
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Proportion: - Voting - One (01) share for 69.444444 shares / Non-Voting - One (01) share for 61.666667 shares
Qty Offered: - Voting - 11,817,190 / Non-Voting- 912,967
Financial Year: - 2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
Dates to be notified

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COMMERCIAL BANK OF CEYLON - CASH DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

COMMERCIAL BANK OF CEYLON PLC
Company ID: - COMB
CASH DIVIDEND
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.3.00 per share (Voting & Non-Voting) / Final Dividend
Financial Year: - 2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
Dates to be notified

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COMMERCIAL LEASING & FINANCE (CLC) - CORPORATE DISCLOSURE

http://www.cse.lk/cmt/upload_cse_announcements/4111456393254_.pdf

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OVERSEAS REALTY - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OVERSEAS REALITY (CEYLON) PLC
Company ID: - OSEA
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 1.50 per share / First and Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
Dates to be notified

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UNITED MOTORS LANK - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED MOTORS LANKA PLC
Company ID: - UML
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 4.00 per share / Second Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015/2016
XD: - 08.Mar.2016
Payment: - 16.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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NUWARA ELIYA HOTELS COMPANY - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

NUWARA ELIYA HOTELS COMPANY PLC
Company ID: - NEH
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.30.00 per share / Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015/2016
XD: - 08.Mar.2016
Payment: - 17.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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AITKEN SPENCE PLANTATION MANAGEMENTS - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

AITKEN SPENCE PLANTATION MANAGEMENTS PLC
Company ID: - ASPM
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.2.00 per share / Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015/2016
XD: - 08.Mar.2016
Payment: - 14.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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SENKADAGALA FINANCE - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

SENKADAGALA FINANCE PLC
Company ID: - SFCL
Date of Announcement: - 25.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.0.65 per share / Second Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015/2016
XD: - 08.Mar.2016
Payment: - 16.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Sri Lanka *market update* USD/LKR 1wk 144.65/70, ASPI trading down 0.3-pct

USD/LKR one week quoted at 144.65/70, dealers said.  (Feb 24, 2016 12.05 p.m)

ASPI trading at 6,213.80, down 15.19 points or 0.30 percent with losses in some banking and finance sector stocks like Seylan Bank and Commercial Leasing and Lanka Orix Leasing, brokers said. (Feb 24, 2016 12.05 p.m)

 

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Prime Minister says ETCA being formulated, Sri Lankans won't lose jobs

Feb 24, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is currently at the formulating stage of an “Economic Technology Cooperation Agreement” with India, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament Tuesday. This agreement will not lead to Sri Lankans losing jobs, he added.

“We still haven’t seen India’s version. We have to put the two proposals together before we can come to an agreement,” Wickremesinghe said.

Professional associations raised concerns about the flow of professionals between the two countries, but Wickremesinghe said there was no reason to fear an impact on employment.

The government will not consider Mode 4 of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) which allows professionals to provide a service in another country, he said.

“We will not allow foreigners to be given jobs that at the expense of Sri Lankan nationals.”

“There is currently a procedure for granting visas to foreign workers. We will not change this. Visas are only granted if there is a shortage in our country.”

Instead, the ETCA agreement will seek to boost cooperation in technical areas, scientific expertise and research amongst institutions, boost standards of goods and services able to compete on the global market and improve opportunities for manpower training and human resource development, Wickremesinghe said.

“Without an improvement in training we may experience shortages in the future,” he added.

After recent meetings with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ETCA agreement has been scheduled for mid this year.

Around 65 percent of Sri Lanka’s exports to India falls under the Free Trade Agreement, but just 25-30 percent of goods from India fall under the FTA, he said. Sri Lanka also experiences non-tariff barriers when exporting to India, Wickremesinghe said.

The government plans to improve access for Sri Lankan goods to India under this agreement, he said.

70 percent of transshipment and 40 percent of revenue from flights are linked to India, and the government aims to boost these services areas. Safeguards to facilitate investment will also be included, he said.

The previous government wanted to implement CEPA, but they opposed it due to a provision on movement of professionals, Wickremesinghe added.

 

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Sri Lanka stocks down 0.2-pct

Feb 24, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed down at 0.18 percent with losses in some banking and finance sector stocks with low retail investor activity, brokers said.

The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 11.35 points down at 6,217.64 down 0.18 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 0.91 points down at 3,260.80 down 0.03 percent.

Turnover was 384 million rupees, down from 605 million rupees Tuesday with 50 stocks closing positive against 90 negative.

“It was a dull day with low retail investor activity and we expect a continued foreign outflow,” S C Securities said.

The main index showed losses in Commercial Leasing Company 3.50 rupees, down 0.30 rupees and Seylan Bank closing at 82.90 rupees, down 4.20 rupees.

Ceylon Tobacco Company closed flat at 1000.00 rupees one off floor trade of 46,800 shares traded at 1,000.00 rupees.

 

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New salaries commission to review public, private salary structures

Feb 24, 2016 (LBO) – The cabinet has decided to appoint a new Salaries and Cadre Commission to broadly and formally review salary structures and cadre requirements with a view to creating a more effective and contented Public Service.

The proposed commission which will comprise of learned and experienced officers is also to formulate a salaries and cadre policy having regard to the manpower needs of the private sector.

The President in his manifesto has given an undertaking to set in motion necessary measures to improve efficiency and raise productivity of the public service and improve living conditions and office work satisfaction of public servants.

Meanwhile the cabinet has also decided to implement the new salary structure for public service with effect from 01.01.2016 which includes 10,000 rupees allowance.

It has been decided by the budget proposals 2016 to revise the salaries of public service adding the special allowance and the interim allowance of 10,000 rupees to the basic salary.

 

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DFCC BANK - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

DFCC BANK PLC
Company ID: - DFCC
Date of Announcement: - 24.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.2.50 per share / First & Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
XD: - 04.Mar.2016
Payment: - 16.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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UNION ASSURANCE - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNION ASSURANCE PLC
Company ID: - UAL
Date of Announcement: - 24.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.8.50 per share / First & Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
XD: - 04.Mar.2016
Payment: - 16.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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RICHARD PIERIS EXPORTS - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICHARD PIERIS EXPORTS PLC
Company ID: - REXP
Date of Announcement: - 24.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.12.50 per share / Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015 / 2016
XD: - 04.Mar.2016
Payment: - 14.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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UNION BANK OF COLOMBO - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNION BANK OF COLOMBO PLC
Company ID: - UBC
Date of Announcement: - 24.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.0.04 per share / Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
XD: - 04.Mar.2016
Payment: - 16.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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ASIRI HOSPITAL HOLDINGS (ASIR) - CORPORATE DISCLOSURE

http://www.cse.lk/cmt/upload_cse_announcements/5541456315017_.pdf

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DIALOG AXIATA - CORPORATE DISCLOSURE

http://www.cse.lk/cmt/upload_cse_announcements/3121456315088_.pdf

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

NESTLE LANKA - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS (INTERIM AND FINAL)

NESTLE LANKA PLC
Company ID: - NEST
Date of Announcement: - 23.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.34.50 per share /Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
XD: - 03.Mar.2016
Payment: - 15.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

Date of Announcement: - 23.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.30.00 per share /Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 05.May.2016
XD: - 06.May.2016
Payment: - 16.May.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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LANKA TILES - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

LANKA TILES PLC
Company ID: - TILE
Date of Announcement: - 23.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.3.00 per share / Interim Dividend
Financial Year: -2015 / 2016
XD: - 03.Mar.2016
Payment: - 15.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY PLC
Company ID:- COMD
Date of Announcement:- 23.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend:- Rs.3.00 per share /Final Dividend
Financial Year:- 2015
Shareholder Approval:- Required
Dates to be notified.

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Sri Lanka *market update* ASPI closed down 0.35-pct, USD/LKR 1wk closing 144.65/70

USD/LKR one week closing 144.65/70, dealers said.  (Feb 23, 2016 16.50 p.m)

ASPI closed at 6,228.99, down 21.79 points or 0.35 percent with losses in Ceylon Tobacco Company and Lanka Orix Leasing Company, brokers said. Turnover was 605 million rupees. (Feb 23, 2016 15.50 p.m)

Sri Lanka bond yield curve picks up around 30 basis points on low volumes after Friday’s monetary policy decision to hike rates by 50 basis points. USD/LKR flat at 144, one week forward ticks lower to 144.55/65.
Lower liquidity in system attributed to bond sales, says dealer. (Feb 23, 2016 15.10 p.m)

 

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Sri Lanka lending to increase to USD 2Bn by 2016: ADB President

Feb 23, 2016 (LBO) – Asian Development Bank said it will scale up lending to Sri Lanka to 2 billion US dollars in loans and equity in 2016 through 2018 compared to the 1.5 billion US dollars in the past three years.

“ADB is re-orienting its operations to meet the evolving needs of Sri Lanka as it moves to become an upper middle income country in the next few years,” Takehiko Nakao, President, Asian Development Bank said at a press conference in Colombo, Tuesday.

“We have decided to increase annual lending in 2016 to 700 million US dollars while ADB lent about 1.5 billion dollars over past three years it hopes to lend about two billion dollars in the next three years.”

However he said that Sri Lanka needs to work on fiscal consolidation and reduce the budget deficit and raise revenue.

“There is a problem with the fiscal deficit and better fiscal management and better debt management is needed,” he said.

“ADB also sees the need for an increase in revenue collection, which is low by international and regional standards.”

He says in addition to infrastructure, human resource development would remain a key focus for the bank.

 

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Sri Lanka inflation NCPI decelerates 0.7-pct in Jan 2016

Feb 23, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices decelerated 0.7 percent in January from a year earlier, compared with a 4.2 percent rise in December, data from the state statistics office showed.

In December, inflation rose at a slower pace as compared with November’s 4.8 percent, the new index with a base year of 2013 showed.

The NCPI in December fell 1.1 percent on a month-on-month basis, from 1.1 percent rise a month ago.

The NCPI for all items for the month of January 2015 was 112.0.

A decrease of 1.2 index points or a percentage of 1.1 was noted in January 2016 compared to December 2015 for which the index was 113.2

 

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Friday, February 19, 2016

Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund at ‘BB-/ V5′: Fitch

Feb 19, 2016 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund's Fund Credit Quality Rating of 'BB-' and affirmed the Fund Volatility Rating at 'V5′.

The  fund is managed by Ceylon Asset Management (CAM).

The full statement follows: 

Fitch Affirms Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund at 'BB-/ V5'

Fitch Ratings-London/Colombo-19 February 2016: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund's Fund Credit Quality Rating of 'BB-' and affirmed the Fund Volatility Rating at 'V5′. The  fund is managed by Ceylon Asset Management (CAM).

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The affirmation of the 'BB-' Fund Credit Quality Rating is driven by the weighted average rating factor (WARF) and rating distribution based on the expected composition of the fund and the fund's investment guidelines. The fund has a limited investment space as it will only invest in US dollar bonds issued by the government of Sri Lanka, licensed banks in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan corporates that are rated by an international rating agency. This limits the potential investments to 13 issuances totalling just under USD9bn.

The affirmation of the Fund Volatility Rating is driven by the reduced exposure to interest-rate risk and spread risk, while recognising the fund's ability to extend duration risk to a greater level than that expressed in the target portfolio. The rating is also affirmed because the target portfolio is not yet fully invested and its ultimate composition remains uncertain, and due to Fitch's conservative assumptions relating to potential volatility in emerging market debt.

ASSET CREDIT QUALITY

The fund's updated target portfolio comprises of four bonds – three rated 'BB-' and one rated 'B+' – which have been issued by the entities detailed above. The target portfolio is mainly exposed either directly to government or government-guaranteed debt. The fund will invest up to 4% of its assets in US-dollar fixed deposits in a licensed commercial bank in Sri Lanka.

By 17 February 2016, the fund had invested in three of the four issuances in the target portfolio (representing 73.4% of the portfolio). The rest of the funds are placed in US dollar deposits with Deutsche Bank Sri Lanka, a branch of Deutsche Bank AG (A-/Stable/F1+). The fund has struggled to reach a substantial size since its launch in July 2014, partly due to volatility in overall market conditions.

CONCENTRATION

The target portfolio will be concentrated with material exposure to Sri Lankan sovereign risk. The concentration risk is a structural feature given the limited opportunities in the fund's investment universe. Fitch has conducted stress tests on the target portfolio. Based on its analysis, Fitch believes the fund has a limited capacity to withstand negative rating migration in its investments before it would be downgraded to the 'B' category.

PORTFOLIO SENSITIVITY TO MARKET RISK

The updated target portfolio has a shorter weighted average life (WAL) than the original model portfolio based on which we assigned the ratings in July 2014. As a result, the target portfolio has a significantly lower sensitivity to interest-rate risk and spread risk than the original model portfolio. Based on the fund's market risk factor alone, it could achieve a 'V4′ Fund Volatility Rating. However, in affirming the rating at 'V5′, Fitch has taken into consideration the fact that the fund is not yet fully invested so its eventual composition may differ from that of the target portfolio, and that the fund manager does have discretion to extend duration above current levels if it sees fit.

Fitch has also taken wider market conditions- notably potential volatility in emerging market debt – into consideration in its rating decision. According to Fitch's criteria, funds rated 'V5′ are considered to have high sensitivity to market risk. On a relative basis, total returns and/or changes in net asset value are likely to experience substantial variability across a range of market scenarios due to substantial exposure to interest rates, credit spreads and other risk. The fund will invest in instruments with a relatively long maturity (WAL of 2.52 years in the target portfolio) except for an allocation of up to 4% to three-month deposits. Therefore the fund will be reliant on secondary market liquidity to meet large redemption requests. However, the fund has access to an overdraft facility of 10%, and requires 14 days' notice on redemptions above 3% of the fund. On the asset side, it will hold only a limited proportion of outstanding debt issues, all of which will be listed on the Singapore Exchange.

FUND PROFILE

The fund is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka under the Unit Trust Code, 2011. The fund's trustee is Deutsche Bank Sri Lanka.

THE ADVISOR

Fitch considers CAM suitably qualified, competent and capable of managing the fund. The investment committee has relevant experience, and the company has sufficient sources of information on which to base its decision-making process. Fitch considers the systems supporting the fund's investment activities to be satisfactory.

CAM is 21%-owned by Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited (SLIC, BB-/Stable), 69% by Ceylon Capital Trust (Pvt) Ltd and 10% by Commercial Credit and Finance PLC (CCF). Fitch believes CAM has support from the shareholders. However, a key challenge facing the business will be to demonstrate sustained growth in assets under management. The Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund is a key component of its growth strategy. CAM has been managing funds since 1999. The current management team has been in place since 2005, and SLIC and CCF invested in the business in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

The ratings may be sensitive to material changes in the credit quality or market risk profile of the fund. A weakening in the liquidity inherent in the fund or changes to liquidity provisions – such as the manager's ability to borrow against the net assets of the fund or its ability to delay redemptions – would be viewed as negative. A downgrade of the ratings on the Sri Lankan sovereign or the banks in which the fund has invested its assets, especially the banks whose issues are not government guaranteed, could also lead to a downgrade of the Fund Credit Quality Rating. Changes in exchange-control regulations that could increase transfer and convertibility risks for the fund would also be viewed as negative.

Fitch has capped the fund's rating at that of the Sri Lankan sovereign (BB-/Stable), given its expected material exposure to the Sri Lankan sovereign. Therefore upside potential for the fund rating is limited. To maintain the bond fund ratings, CAM will provide Fitch with portfolio information, including details of the portfolio's holdings and credit quality. Fitch closely monitors the credit composition of the portfolio, the credit market risk profile of the investments.

 

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Sri Lanka stocks up 0.7-pct

Feb 19, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed up at 0.67 percent with gains in most of the index heavy stocks, brokers said.

The Colombo benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 41.89 points up at 6,250.89 up 0.67 percent. The S&P SL20 closed 28.45 points up at 3,269.24 up 0.88 percent.

Turnover was 1.5 billion rupees, up from 534 million rupees Thursday with 86 stocks closing positive against 60 negative.

“There was one off the floor trade amounting to one billion rupees that accounted for most of the day’s turnover,” S C Securities said.

Textured Jersey closed at 31.40 rupees, up 0.60 rupees with one crossing of 34.4 million shares at 20.80 rupees. The Company said it was an internal share swap.

The main index showed gains in Ceylon Tobacco Company with the stock closing at 1.024.10 rupees, up 19.80 rupees and John Keells Holdings closed at 158.90 rupees, up 1.80 rupees.

Nestle Lanka closed down at 2,020.00 rupees, up 26.10 rupees and Commercial Bank closed at 125.00 rupees, up 1.80 rupees.

 

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Fitch affirms Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund at BB-/ V5

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund's Fund Credit Quality Rating of 'BB-' and affirmed the Fund Volatility Rating at 'V5′. The fund is managed by Ceylon Asset Management (CAM).

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The affirmation of the 'BB-' Fund Credit Quality Rating is driven by the weighted average rating factor (WARF) and rating distribution based on the expected composition of the fund and the fund's investment guidelines. The fund has a limited investment space as it will only invest in US dollar bonds issued by the government of Sri Lanka, licensed banks in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan corporates that are rated by an international rating agency. This limits the potential investments to 13 issuances totalling just under USD9bn.

The affirmation of the Fund Volatility Rating is driven by the reduced exposure to interest-rate risk and spread risk, while recognising the fund's ability to extend duration risk to a greater level than that expressed in the target portfolio. The rating is also affirmed because the target portfolio is not yet fully invested and its ultimate composition remains uncertain, and due to Fitch's conservative assumptions relating to potential volatility in emerging market debt.

ASSET CREDIT QUALITY

The fund's updated target portfolio comprises of four bonds – three rated 'BB-' and one rated 'B+' – which have been issued by the entities detailed above. The target portfolio is mainly exposed either directly to government or government-guaranteed debt. The fund will invest up to 4% of its assets in US-dollar fixed deposits in a licensed commercial bank in Sri Lanka.

By 17 February 2016, the fund had invested in three of the four issuances in the target portfolio (representing 73.4% of the portfolio). The rest of the funds are placed in US dollar deposits with Deutsche Bank Sri Lanka, a branch of Deutsche Bank AG (A-/Stable/F1+). The fund has struggled to reach a substantial size since its launch in July 2014, partly due to volatility in overall market conditions.

CONCENTRATION

The target portfolio will be concentrated with material exposure to Sri Lankan sovereign risk. The concentration risk is a structural feature given the limited opportunities in the fund's investment universe. Fitch has conducted stress tests on the target portfolio. Based on its analysis, Fitch believes the fund has a limited capacity to withstand negative rating migration in its investments before it would be downgraded to the 'B' category.

PORTFOLIO SENSITIVITY TO MARKET RISK

The updated target portfolio has a shorter weighted average life (WAL) than the original model portfolio based on which we assigned the ratings in July 2014. As a result, the target portfolio has a significantly lower sensitivity to interest-rate risk and spread risk than the original model portfolio. Based on the fund's market risk factor alone, it could achieve a 'V4′ Fund Volatility Rating. However, in affirming the rating at 'V5′, Fitch has taken into consideration the fact that the fund is not yet fully invested so its eventual composition may differ from that of the target portfolio, and that the fund manager does have discretion to extend duration above current levels if it sees fit.

Fitch has also taken wider market conditions- notably potential volatility in emerging market debt – into consideration in its rating decision. According to Fitch's criteria, funds rated 'V5′ are considered to have high sensitivity to market risk. On a relative basis, total returns and/or changes in net asset value are likely to experience substantial variability across a range of market scenarios due to substantial exposure to interest rates, credit spreads and other risk factors.

The fund will invest in instruments with a relatively long maturity (WAL of 2.52 years in the target portfolio) except for an allocation of up to 4% to three-month deposits. Therefore the fund will be reliant on secondary market liquidity to meet large redemption requests. However, the fund has access to an overdraft facility of 10%, and requires 14 days' notice on redemptions above 3% of the fund. On the asset side, it will hold only a limited proportion of outstanding debt issues, all of which will be listed on the Singapore Exchange.

FUND PROFILE

The fund is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka under the Unit Trust Code, 2011. The fund's trustee is Deutsche Bank Sri Lanka.

THE ADVISOR

Fitch considers CAM suitably qualified, competent and capable of managing the fund. The investment committee has relevant experience, and the company has sufficient sources of information on which to base its decision-making process. Fitch considers the systems supporting the fund's investment activities to be satisfactory.

CAM is 21%-owned by Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited (SLIC, BB-/Stable), 69% by Ceylon Capital Trust (Pvt) Ltd and 10% by Commercial Credit and Finance PLC (CCF). Fitch believes CAM has support from the shareholders. However, a key challenge facing the business will be to demonstrate sustained growth in assets under management. The Ceylon Dollar Bond Fund is a key component of its growth strategy. CAM has been managing funds since 1999. The current management team has been in place since 2005, and SLIC and CCF invested in the business in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

The ratings may be sensitive to material changes in the credit quality or market risk profile of the fund. A weakening in the liquidity inherent in the fund or changes to liquidity provisions – such as the manager's ability to borrow against the net assets of the fund or its ability to delay redemptions – would be viewed as negative. A downgrade of the ratings on the Sri Lankan sovereign or the banks in which the fund has invested its assets, especially the banks whose issues are not government guaranteed, could also lead to a downgrade of the Fund Credit Quality Rating. Changes in exchange-control regulations that could increase transfer and convertibility risks for the fund would also be viewed as negative.

Fitch has capped the fund's rating at that of the Sri Lankan sovereign (BB-/Stable), given its expected material exposure to the Sri Lankan sovereign. Therefore upside potential for the fund rating is limited.

To maintain the bond fund ratings, CAM will provide Fitch with portfolio information, including details of the portfolio's holdings and credit quality. Fitch closely monitors the credit composition of the portfolio, the credit counterparties used by the manager, and the overall market risk profile of the investments.

 

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ADB to lend USD 500Mn, shifting focus in Sri Lanka lending

Feb 19, 2016 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank will lend 505 million dollars to Sri Lanka in 2016 and focus on new areas like private sector development, knowledge solutions, and development of advanced infrastructure, a new report said.

“ADB will continue to support Sri Lanka in new areas such as private sector development, knowledge solutions, and development of advanced infrastructure as the country transforms into an upper-middle-income country,” the newly launched ADB Sri Lanka Development Effectiveness Brief said.

“Sri Lanka has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic countries in South Asia. With a sophisticated work force, and a strategic location that links Asia to Europe, the country is well positioned for strong economic growth for years to come.”

The report says Sri Lanka has moved beyond being a place to find low-cost labor to manufacture goods for export.

“The country achieved middle-income status in the mid-2000s and could become an upper middle-income country in a few years.”

It says that this steady march out of poverty puts Sri Lanka in an enviable position, but also creates challenges for the country.

“Sri Lanka can no longer compete as effectively with low-cost labor countries. Therefore, it must develop expertise, products, and services, and increase the productivity of workers to compete with the world’s innovators in high-income countries.”

ADB is expecting to lend 739 million dollar in 2017 and 2018 increase it to 1.2 billion.

Analysts say that in order for the island nation to achieve a higher middle income status the country needs to invest in physical and financial infrastructure and move towards a knowledge based skills and education system.

Sri Lanka is also in talks with the International Monetary Fund for balance of payments support as it looks at ways to repay an estimated US 5 billion dollars in debt later this year.

 

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Sri Lanka *market update* Sri Lanka stocks rebound, ASPI up 0.35-pct turnover Rs.1.3 bn

ASPI trading at 6,230.79, up 21.90 points or 0.35 percent with gains in Dialog Axaita and Commercial Bank. Over 1.3 million shares of Peoples Leasing and Finance was traded with the stock now trading at 18.50 rupees, up 0.40 rupees. (Feb 19, 2016 12.30 p.m)

Asian stock markets were down on Friday from a near three-week high as investors remained cautious about the outlook of the global economy, foreign media reports said.  Asia Pacific’s MSCI’s outside Japan fell 0.2 percent while Japan’s Nikkei dropped 1.5 percent. In China the Shanghai Composite drops -0.14 percent,  Shenzhen’s CSI300 also trades 0.22 lower while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dipped 0.50 percent.  (Feb 19, 2016 09.00 a.m)

 

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Elusive global outlook requires urgent policy response, says OECD

Feb 19, 2016 (LBO) – Achieving strong growth in the global economy remains elusive, with only a modest recovery in advanced economies and slower activity in emerging markets, according to the OECD’s latest Interim Economic Outlook.

“The world economy is likely to expand no faster in 2016 than in 2015, its slowest pace in five years. Trade and investment are weak. Sluggish demand is leading to low inflation and inadequate wage and employment growth,” the report states.

The downgrade in the global outlook since the previous Economic Outlook in November 2015 is broadly based, spread across both advanced and major emerging economies, with the largest impacts expected in the United States, the euro area and economies reliant on commodity exports, like Brazil and Canada.

Financial instability risks are substantial, as demonstrated by recent falls in equity and bond prices worldwide, and increasing vulnerability of some emerging economies to volatile capital flows and the effects of high domestic debt.

“Global growth prospects have practically flat-lined, recent data have disappointed and indicators point to slower growth in major economies, despite the boost from low oil prices and low interest rates,” said OECD Chief Economist Catherine L. Mann.

“Given the significant downside risks posed by financial sector volatility and emerging market debt, a stronger collective policy approach is urgently needed, focusing on a greater use of fiscal and pro-growth structural policies, to strengthen growth and reduce financial risks.”

The OECD projects that the global economy will grow by 3 percent this year and 3.3 percent in 2017, which is well below long-run averages of around 3¾ percent.  This is also lower than would be expected during a recovery phase for advanced economies, and given the pace of growth that could be achieved by emerging economies in convergence mode.

The US will grow by 2 percent this year and by 2.2 percent in 2017, while the UK is projected to grow at 2.1 percent in 2016 and 2 percent in 2017. Canadian growth is projected at 1.4 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2017, while Japan is projected to grow by 0.8 percent in 2016 and 0.6 percent in 2017.

The euro area is projected to grow at a 1.4 percent rate in 2016 and a 1.7 percent pace in 2017. Germany is forecast to grow by 1.3 percent in 2016 and 1.7 percent in 2017, France by 1.2 percent in 2016 and 1.5 percent in 2017, while Italy will see a 1 percent rate in 2016 and 1.4 percent rate in 2017.

With China expected to continue rebalancing its economy from manufacturing to services, growth is forecast at 6.5 percent in 2016 and 6.2 percent in 2017. India will continue to grow robustly, by 7.4 percent in 2016 and 7.3 percent in 2017. By contrast, Brazil’s economy is experiencing a deep recession and is expected to shrink by 4 percent this year and only to begin to emerge from the downturn next year.

The Interim Economic Outlook calls for a stronger policy response, changing the policy mix to confront the current weak growth more effectively. It points out that sole reliance on monetary policy has proven insufficient to boost demand and produce satisfactory growth, while fiscal policy is contractionary in several major economies and structural reform momentum has slowed.

The OECD says monetary policies should remain highly accommodative in advanced economies, until inflation has shown clear signs of moving durably towards official targets. In emerging market economies, monetary support should be provided where possible, taking into account inflation developments and capital market responses.

The Outlook suggests that a stronger fiscal policy response, combined with renewed structural reforms, is needed to support growth and provide a more favourable environment for productivity-enhancing innovation and change, particularly in Europe.

“With governments in many countries currently able to borrow for long periods at very low interest rates, there is room for fiscal expansion to strengthen demand in a manner consistent with fiscal sustainability,” Ms Mann said.

“The focus should be on policies with strong short-run benefits and that also contribute to long-term growth. A commitment to raising public investment would boost demand and help support future growth.”

 

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Sri Lanka to collect corporate taxes online from next month

Feb 19, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state tax collector will gradually move out of manual tax administration by launching the first phase of RAMIS next month.

Starting from March, six tax types namely VAT, SVAT, CT, NBT, PAYE and WHT will be collected under the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS).

The Inland Revenue Department expects to collect over 95 percent of the total tax revenue through the first phase of this project which covers large and corporate tax payers in the island.

As per the IRD information, filing frequency for WHT has been changed from yearly to quarterly in the new system.

Phase two will be rolled out in October for non-corporate tax payers where four more tax types namely non-corporate tax, SD, ESC and BGL will be collected.

Submission of relevant tax schedules electronically has been made mandatory if there are more than 20 entries in tax payer schedules.

Under the new system non tax filers will be notified via SMS or E-mail apart from the conventional hardcopy notice, the department said.

To use the new system, a registered tax payer should obtain a separate PIN number from the department, D.R Jayasekara, Deputy Commissioner General of IRD said.

“We have already issued over 3,300 PIN numbers. The balance will be issued soon.”

Jayasekara was speaking at a seminar on RAMIS hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Apart from individual tax payers, appointed staff of corporate tax payers and tax agents can also use the same infrastructure to file tax returns on behalf of clients.

Jayasekara said tax payers who will get registered in the RAMIS will also be able to access his or her tax records anytime.

“But currently no old data; only the profile data have been updated into the RAMIS,” he said.

New call center (Hotline 1944) and a help desk is to be established in the department with modern office infrastructure and facilities.

“Currently, we don’t have such a system. This trilingual call center will track all tax payer queries coming into department.”

The Inland Revenue Department is to connect RAMIS with 23 institutions including two state banks, Finance Ministry, Customs and Central Bank for effective tax reconciliation.

“Currently only two state banks for tax payments because it’s the government policy to connect them with RAMIS,” he said.

“Since there is no ICT system at the Registrar of Companies we haven’t integrated that into RAMIS. There are also some legal issues to connect Registrar of Persons with this.”

Jayasekara said these issues will be sorted in the near future and the new system will also get connected with theRegistrar of Motor vehicles to tackle tax evaders.

He further stated that they are also looking at a kind of grace period to effectively implement the system.

 

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CEYLON TOBACCO COMPANY - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

CEYLON TOBACCO COMPANY PLC
Company ID: - CTC
Date of Announcement: - 19.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs.3.70 per share (Less WHT) / Final Dividend
Financial Year: -2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 31.Mar.2016
XD: - 01.Apr.2016
Payment: - 11.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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HATTION NATIONAL BANK - CASH & SCRIP DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

HATTON NATIONAL BANK PLC
Company ID: - HNB

CASH DIVIDEND
Date of Announcement: - 19.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 3.50 per share / Final Dividend
Financial Year: - 2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 30.Mar.2016
XD: - 31.Mar.2016
Payment: - 08.Apr.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

SCRIP DIVIDEND
Date of Announcement: - 19.Feb.2016
Proportion: - Voting - One (01) share for 61.68 shares / Non-Voting - One (01) share for 57.46 shares
Qty Offered: - Voting - 5,259,275.10 / Non-Voting - 1,416,906
Financial Year: - 2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
AGM: - 30.Mar.2016
XD: - 31.Mar.2016
Share Transfer Book Open

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Thursday, February 18, 2016

Sri Lanka *market update* USD/LKR 1 wk fwd 144.42/45, ASPI trading down 0.13-pct

USD/LKR one week forward 144.42/45, dealers said. (Feb 18, 2016 12.26 p.m)

ASPI trading at 6,212.82, down 8.00 or 0.13 percent with losses in Sri Lanka Telecom and some high cap stocks,  brokers said.   (Feb 18, 2016 12.26 p.m)

Asian shares continued their longest winning streak this year, Thursday following Iran’s statement to support other countries’ plans to boost oil prices. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.8 percent while South Korea’s KOSPI 200 was up 1.3 percent. Australia’s ASX 200 rose 1.5 percent but Singapore’s STI fell 1.2 percent. U.S. stocks also rose for a third straight day. The Dow Jones rose 1.6 percent while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 1.7 percent with the Nasdaq composite climbing 2.2 percent. (Feb 18, 2016 08.20 a.m)

Iran oil minister Bijan Zanganeh met in Teheran with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Venezuela and said a celling on oil production would be a first step toward stabilizing prices. Oil’s 70 percent fall from over USD100 in mid-2014 has hurt oil producing companies and countries and their many suppliers around the world, helping fuel recent global market turmoil and economic uncertainty, a foreign media report said. “The Iranian minister didn’t say his country would join in cuts.”

 

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Crowdfunding platform Crowdisland.lk launched for Sri Lankan start ups

Feb 18, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lankan start ups will be able to utilize a new crowdfunding platform, crowdisland.lk, launched on Wednesday with the backing of an experienced group of investors famiiiar with Sri Lankan companies, its founders said.

Crowdfunding is the process of raising money to fund a project or business venture through many donors using an online platform.

“Sri Lanka is witnessing a strong start-up culture that is sowing the seeds of innovation-driven growth for the future,” said Jeevan Gnanam, a co-founder of crowdisland.lk.

Gnanam has mentored over 15 startups is the developer behind Sri Lanka’s first operational IT park, Orion City. The initiative is also backed by York Street Partners, a boutique investment bank based in Sri Lanka that focuses on M&A, capital raising and strategic advisory services.

Sujendra Mather, managing director of York Street Partners, said, “We aim to start from a slightly limited platform of equity crowdfunding from mainly high net worth investors, and work towards larger scale project crowdfunding that can reach rural entrepreneurs, once the government implements a more supportive regulatory framework.”

According to Mather, Sri Lanka’s Companies Act allows a private company to have a maximum of 50 shareholders which is prohibitive of some crowdfunding projects.

“Payment gateways have been hesitant to support us due to their unfamiliarity with the concept. We would also like to see the SEC getting involved and supporting the concept,” Mather said.

The founders believe crowdfunding fills a gap in the financing space that the banking system typically does not fill. Young businesses, in this scenario, struggle to raise early stage capital for growth.

Crowdfunding could typically raise between 500,000 rupees to 20 million rupees in a Sri Lankan context, a official of the company said.

Amy Wilkinson, of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, who was present at the launch, noted that crowdfunding allows startups much needed marketing exposure and opens doors to alternative forms of financing.

Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Crowdfunder are being extensively used in Silicon Valley, she added.

 

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Everjobs to expand job opportunities to smaller Sri Lanka towns

Feb 18, 2016 (LBO) – Everjobs, a Rocket Internet company subsidiary, wants to expand beyond Sri Lanka’s main cities this year and encourage more local firms and job seekers to opt for cost effective options.

“The cost of online recruitment is only about 10 percent of the cost of an offline option,” the company said, one year after commencing operations in Colombo.

The site has a database of over 35,000 registered job seekers, and over 2,500 employers, according to the company.

“During the 2015/2016 period, the website attracted more than half a million unique visitors and thereby established a strong presence in the online jobs market in Sri Lanka,” said Gijs Verheijke, Everjobs Sri Lanka Managing Director and Country Manager.

“As the site traffic figures attest, everjobs has become an integral part of the career management for thousands of job seekers in Sri Lanka,” he said.

“The improved job market is fueling renewed optimism in the information technology, banking, financial services, apparel, education, telecommunication and healthcare sectors.”

The everjobs.lk career survey recorded that, in July/August 2015, online recruitment hit an all-time high with a quarter-on-quarter growth improving consistently.

It is heartening to see the robust growth of the start up ecosystem that’s urging individuals to explore new business avenues, Lienau said.

“With a greater role for the private sector job recruitment at hand, ever jobs plans to expand job opportunities to smaller cities and towns across Sri Lanka, in a bid to further boost the medium and small scale sector,”

The Company recently announced the appointment of Gijs Verheijke as its Chief Executive Officer for the Asia region. He will be in charge of leading day-to-day management decisions as well as giving strategic guidance to drive the business growth in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia.

“We are active in some of the most interesting and emerging economies of the world. Our main goal is not only to grow in those markets but to be able to really have an impact on the countries’ development. By providing a simple and effective online career portal we are changing the game for both employers and professionals, making it far easier for them to find each other than before,” he said.

 

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One-fourth of Sri Lanka's population will be over 60 by 2050: WB

Feb 18, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will witness dramatic impacts on aging and urbanization contrary to the demographics of most South Asian economies, the World Bank said in a recent report.

By 2050, it is projected that more than 25 percent of the population will be over 60, up from 13.4 percent in 2015.

The World Bank says unlike most South Asian economies, Sri Lanka does not have a demographic dividend.

Population aging will likely impact the country’s fiscal accounts through three channels: tax revenue, fiscal expenditure, and GDP growth, the bank said.

“Unless labor force and employment rates increase, a very small number of employed people will need to provide for a very large number of non-working people,” the bank said.

With 96 percent literacy rates, the World Bank says the education system will need to place increasing emphasis on job-specific skills that match private-sector demand and tertiary education.

“The types of public services required will change as the population becomes older and has a higher income,” the Bank said.

“The health system, for example, must build capacity to address non-communicable diseases associated with a wealthier, more urban lifestyle (diabetes and traffic accidents) and with an older population (geriatric care).”

As per the World Bank estimates Sri Lanka has the oldest population age composition outside of the Eastern European transition economies.

In two decades Sri Lanka’s age profile will be similar to that of Europe and Japan today, but with much lower income to support the large number of elderly dependents.

 

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Sri Lanka's Orient Finance IPO backed by Janashakthi

Feb 18, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Orient Finance initial public offering was backed by Janashakthi Insurance given the trying market conditions for raising capital, a senior official said.

“The biggest investor was the parent company (Janashakthi Insurance) because the way the restructuring went; during the amalgamation the parent had a cash out of their shares in the former Orient Finance,”  Ramesh Schafter, director of Orient Finance told Lanka Business Online.

“They had a commitment to re-invest; it was a deliberate thing, because in these market conditions rising capital would be a challenge.”

They reinvested the maximum permitted which is 90 percent of the present issue which in turn was 80 percent of the initial public offering value, he added.

The firm’s IPO had received applications for shares worth 986.9 million rupees on the opening day in January 2016 with the company offering 71.5 million voting shares at 15 rupees a share to raise 1,072.5 million rupees.

It received 262 applications for shares worth 136 million rupees, and one application for 850.9 million rupees.

On its debut today, the stock is trading at 15.10 rupees, up 0.10 rupees, on turnover of just 67,000 rupees.

The Central Bank approved the amalgamation of Orient Finance and Bartleet Finance with the latter as the continuing entity in May 2015.

Janashakthi purchased 6,639,998 voting ordinary shares of Bartleet Finance from the major shareholder of Bartleet Transcapital constituting approximately 86.79 percent of the voting rights of the company on 22 January 2015 for 875 million rupees.

 

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Perpetual Treasuries lead sponsor Investment Summit in Singapore

Feb 18, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lankan primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries said it will be one of the lead sponsors of the Sri Lanka Investment Summit to be held in Singapore on March 15.

This inaugural summit presented by FinanceAsia will be conducted with the objective of enhancing the image of Sri Lanka as a potential business hub for investors worldwide, the firm said in a statement.

The event will feature a keynote address by Ravi Karunanayake, the Minister of Finance and Arjuna Mahendran Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

“Presentations will cover everything foreign investors need to know in order to avoid the pitfalls of a frontier market,” the statement said.

“This forum will be an ideal opportunity for Investors foreign and local to network and forge profitable business links with global entities.”

 

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PEOPLE'S INSURANCE - DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT

PEOPLE'S INSURANCE PLC
Company ID: PINS
Date of Announcement:- 18.Feb.2016
Rate of Dividend: - Rs. 0.60 per share / Final Dividend
Financial Year: - 2015
Shareholder Approval: - Required
DATES TO BE NOTIFIED

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ABANS FINANCE (AFSL) - FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENT RE: RIGHTS ISSUE 1 for 5 @ Rs. 25.00

http://www.cse.lk/cmt/upload_cse_announcements/5761455794780_.pdf

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Sri Lanka *market update* USD/LKR 1wk o/r 144.52/60, Asian stocks continue up trend

USD/LKR one week forward 144.52/60, dealers said. (Feb 17, 2016 1.15 p.m)

ASPI trading at 6,246.28, down 7.88 points or 0.13 percent with losses in John Keells Holdings and some banking and finance stocks, brokers said.  (Feb 17, 2016 10.30 a.m)

Asian stocks were up on Wednesday following gains in the U.S. financial markets. Japan shares rose a third day with Nikkei 225 up 0.6 percent while South Korea’s KOSPI was also up 0.3 percent. Singapore’s STI as up 1.4 percent but Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.1 percent(Feb 17, 2016 09.00 a.m)

 

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Norges Bank increases shareholding in Dialog Axiata

Feb 17, 2016 (LBO) – Norges Bank has increased its shareholding in Dialog Axiata PLC to 63.7 million shares as of end December, data filed with the Colombo Stock Exchange shows.

Norway’s Norges Bank, which manages the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund, is now the sixth biggest shareholder in telecommunications company Dialog with a 0.8 percent stake.

The shareholding is up from 28.7 million shares as of end September.

Norges Bank Investment Management has close to a 800 billion dollars invested in global assets, a fund built from the country’s oil revenues.

 

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