The Economy – Mixed Economic Sentiments Businesses are still wrestling with uncertainty – a familiar challenge in recent times. The latest results from the LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey reflect a mixed bag in the context of economic sentiment. While there are some positive indicators, several negatives persist. THE ECONOMY In April, only 28 percent of…
Buddhist philosophy (Dhamma) provides intelligence to prevent & resolve conflicts within individuals & among them. So far it isn’t clear if proper studies have been done to quantify its contribution to prevent & resolve conflicts globally. The Buddha advised rulers to treat their subjects with; generosity, gentle words, working for public benefit & treating all…
Fitch Ratings: Fitch Ratings believes that policies designed to support exchange rates are unlikely to pose significant near-term risks to the credit profiles of APAC investment-grade sovereigns, but any deterioration of official reserve buffers could pose greater risks to vulnerable ‘frontier markets’ in the region. A number of APAC governments have recently demonstrated concern about…
Chinese leader Xi Jinping returned home after visiting Serbia, Hungary & France last week. France colonized southern parts of Great China (French Indochina) decades ago & therefore, Sino-French socio economic connectivity is centuries old but not as old as Sino-Lanka relations. China & France are permanent members of the UN Security Council. France is China’s…
Pakistan’s total external debt stocks owed to China has surged from $7.6 billion in 2016 to $26.5 billion in 2022 Debt owed by various countries, especially in South Asia and Africa, to China has multiplied in recent years. China is either the sole or the major lender for the majority of these countries. In other…
By Dr Kiruthika Natarajan, Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa, and Dr Suresh Babu Protein consumption of the Sri Lankans who are recovering from the economic crisis has been severely affected by their food coping strategies. Pulses, which are high in the quality and quantity of protein, make up only 8% of the nation’s protein intake. Sri Lanka…
Fitch Ratings: Fitch Ratings believes a sustained period of US dollar (USD) strength against emerging market (EM) currencies could weigh on some EM sovereign credit profiles, potentially softening the current positive ratings momentum for EMs. Most at risk in such a scenario – which does not form part of our base case for 2024-2025 –…
According to a new market research report titled, ‘Electric Scooters Market by Vehicle Type (Electric Motorcycles, E-Kick scooters & Bikes, Electric Mopeds), Power Output (Less Than 3.6kW, 3.6kW to 7.2kW), Battery Technology, Motor Type, Charging Type, End-user, and Geography—Forecast to 2031′, the electric scooters market is projected to reach $408.1 billion by 2031 from an estimated $103.5 billion in 2024, at a…
Politics and economics are concepts that are fundamentally intertwined. Yet the unprecedented economic crisis of 2022 highlighted the complex challenges of aligning short-term political goals with long-term economic strategies. While the sharp appreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee in recent months has been roundly welcomed by most sectors of society as a positive signal, this…
Labourers are skilled or unskilled persons who work in plantations, services or factories. They are wage earners who’s only possession of significant material value is their labour (Ref. Labour analysis). In (many) countries with multi party politics they are used to ignite conflicts using financial & social reasons such as caste. It’s not clear if…
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