Reuters – Next year is looking like a banner year for cruise vacations, as travelers across all income and budget levels have been booking voyages at greater volumes than even before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to U.S. cruise operators and travel agents. Travelers are looking to cruises in 2024 because they are still cheaper than land-based alternatives….
Fitch Ratings – Global sovereign credit conditions are neutral entering 2024, as moderately weaker global economic growth and persistent strains on fiscal positions are balanced by improvements in inflation dynamics and forecast reductions in most central bank policy rates, Fitch Ratings says in its Global Sovereigns Outlook for 2024. Risks to the outlook centre on…
A significant milestone in the intricate tapestry of international relations was woven as a collaborative research endeavour that bridged the historical gap between Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. Six remarkable artefacts, long ensconced in the renowned Rijksmuseum collection in the Netherlands, underwent meticulous scrutiny, leading to a revelation that would reshape the diplomatic landscape between…
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) conducted an Issuer Forum titled “ඔබේ ව්යපාරයේ ඉදිරි ගමනට නව ප්රවේශයක් (A New Approach for the Future of Your Business), in association with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), on 29th November 2023 in Kandy. The objective of the forum was to provide an insight for small and medium…
SriLankan Airlines has introduced double daily flights between Colombo and Mumbai, multiplying the convenience for passengers travelling to and from India’s financial and entertainment capital. The new double daily service to Mumbai will not only give a 50 per cent boost to SriLankan’s capacity on its Mumbai route, but will also strengthen the airline’s already…
Business Sentiment -Business Confidence in a Tailspin Biz confidence has nosedived. And we may have to tighten our seatbelts and prepare for a hard landing when businesspeople take cognisance of the budget proposals presented in parliament on 13 November. For the time being, we note that Fitch Ratings has raised concerns about the proposals, asserting…
Charting a Path Forward: President Wickremesinghe Urges Action in the Face of Alarming Climate Predictions. In a compelling address at the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (CoP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, UAE Friday (01), President Ranil Wickremesinghe acknowledged the historical significance of the UN Conference…
Sampath Bank PLC, third largest private bank in Sri Lanka, announced the appointment of Mr. Prabhash Subasinghe to its Board of Directors, effective from December 1, 2023. This decision, ratified during the board meeting on November 30, 2023, was made under the recommendation of the Board Nominations and Governance Committee, following the necessary regulatory approvals,…
A group of creditors holding Sri Lanka’s international bonds said on Friday it welcomed the country’s debt restructuring agreement with official creditors, though said a lack of transparency on deals struck so far was regrettable. Sri Lanka and a group of its creditor nations, including Japan, France and India, on Wednesday reached an agreement in…
In a groundbreaking move towards modernization and convenience, Peoples Bank has proudly announced the successful implementation of a cutting-edge payment acceptance solution for the Ministry of Justice. This transformative initiative allows the public to pay fines imposed by courts seamlessly through digital payment methods such as Credit Cards and Debit Cards. The Memorandum of Understanding…
Video Story
